The Safe House
by Welshsunshine
Summary: Modern day story. 28 yr old Patsy is transferred to a safe house where she finds herself living with three other women who are also under protection - Trixie, Delia & Barbara. Starting from the night of her transfer and following her journey through meeting her new housemates, adapting to her new home and routine and her emotional journey as she deals with the distress of her past.
1. Chapter 1 - Transfer Night

The waiting was the worst part; the waiting and the uncertainty. Knowing that the night would come but with no hint as to when. Days had become weeks. She knew how this worked, how this had to work, because it was the only way; the only way to keep her safe and she had promised her father that she would do this. He had already lost so much and, whether he showed it or not, he loved his remaining daughter desperately and his desire to protect her was unrivalled.

But, as unbearable as the waiting was, the uncertainty of what lay ahead was perhaps even more terrifying. The first week or so, Patsy had been unable to sleep - the strange surroundings, the unfamiliar noises and her racing mind all seeming to conspire against her, preventing her escaping into the slumber that her body craved. By now, however, exhaustion overwhelmed her and she slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Patsy gasped in fear, sitting up, momentarily disorientated and confused by the hand urgently shaking her shoulder. As she reached to switch on the bedside lamp, shadows fell eerily across the room. She looked up and received a silent nod. She didn't need to ask; it was transfer night.

Patsy knew that she had to be quick and, more importantly, she knew that she had to be quiet. She pulled on her clothes, stuffing her pyjamas into the rucksack that lay beside her bed in readiness for the move and, without so much as a glance back at the room, she exited. Standing at the top of the stairs, she took a deep breath and braced herself, determined to cling to her self control, despite the gnawing, fear-induced nausea which was increasing by the minute. She shuddered and pulled her jacket around her; it was a mild night but she needed the comfort.

Not a single word was exchanged as Patsy padded quietly down the stairs and climbed into the back of the waiting vehicle. The moment the door was closed, the car pulled away. Patsy looked around her; no rear windows and a fixed partition between her and the driver. Lovely! She had been pre-warned about this but resented it nonetheless. She glanced down and noted a cool box, wedged in the footwell. Lifting the lid she discovered bottles of water and pop, crisps, fruit and chocolate. She sighed; it was a nice thought but, right now, she couldn't stomach anything.

The journey seemed interminable; at first Patsy had desperately tried to work out the route that they were taking. She quickly realised that this was a futile exercise and, in spite of her unease, she found herself beginning to doze, unable to fight the soporific hum of the engine.

Patsy only awoke when she sensed the vehicle slow. Glancing at her watch, she saw that it was approaching 5am. That meant that she had been travelling for almost 3 hours. She heard the clunk of a gate following which the car picked up speed again; she was sure that they had reached their destination and clutched her rucksack against her.

Finally the car stopped. Patsy's heart was pounding and she fought desperately to control the panic which was surging through her. The car door opened and she gingerly prised herself from the back seat, grateful at least to be able to stretch her legs. Fingers of early morning sunlight delicately stroked the surrounding trees and bushes. Patsy inhaled deeply and noted the distinctive smell of the sea; her very first clue as to this unfamiliar place which she would, for the coming weeks and months at least, call home. She glanced up at the house, a pretty period building with ivy snaking up the white-washed walls. It was not what she had expected, but then she hadn't known what to expect, she reasoned.

Her wonderings were interrupted when she became aware of a woman standing not far from her, speaking quietly to the driver. Patsy turned as the vehicle pulled away, disappearing down a tree-lined driveway. Alone with the woman, Patsy forced a smile and scrambled to make polite conversation.

"The house is beautiful" she stammered hoarsely, silently berating herself for not having taken a bottle of the water after all.

"Thank you" smiled the woman "I am Louise, you really are very welcome. I know that you have had a frightfully long journey and you must be exhausted. Let's go inside and have a cup of tea."

Naturally distrusting, Patsy was surprised at how easily she warmed to Louise. Fair-haired, of slight build and, Patsy estimated, probably in her 50s, she had a face so kind that it was surpassed only by her incredibly soothing voice. Patsy followed her inside and Louise led the way to her office. It wasn't a terribly big room but it did have the most beautiful bay window offering a view of endless colourful flowers and neatly trimmed bushes.

"Do sit down" encouraged Louise, gesturing to a thoroughly welcoming arm chair. Patsy sank gratefully against the soft cushions as Louise poured the tea. "Sugar?"

Patsy shook her head. "No, thank you".

Louise smiled kindly as she handed her the cup, the younger woman's trembling hands did not escape her notice, nor the haunted look in her eyes. This was something that Louise was well accustomed to seeing in the faces of new arrivals although, Louise observed, this young woman was doing her utmost to try and put on a brave face. It was always so much easier when these women allowed their raw emotions to flow, however, Patsy was clearly not one to wear her heart on her sleeve, and Louise sensed that she would need to be extremely patient if she were try to earn her trust.

"I am not going to give you too much information now" explained Louise."There will be plenty of time for that once you have had an opportunity to sleep." Patsy nodded gratefully. Sipping at her tea, she was feeling the full impact of her nighttime adventure and the desire to curl up in a ball and shut out the world was almost overwhelming. Instead, her impeccable manners prevailed and she smiled politely.

Louise glanced at her watch. It was just past 5:30am.

"The girls will not be up for a couple of hours yet".

Patsy raised her eyebrows. "How many others were there?" she wondered.

"There are three girls here at the moment" Louise explained, as if reading her mind. "You will be sharing a room with Delia; she is a very sweet girl and I am sure that you will get on well." At that precise moment, Patsy couldn't have cared less who she was sharing with - as long as the room had a pillow and a duvet, it would suit her fine. She nodded politely.

Louise stood "Let me show you to your room".

Patsy followed Louise up the stairs. The elder woman paused momentarily on the first floor landing,

"Living room and kitchen on this level" she explained quietly before continuing. Reaching the top of the house, Louise lowered her voice to a whisper. "This one is your room. Your bags arrived a couple of days ago so they we put them in there ready for you. I won't come in as Delia will be sleeping. I'll see you at 11."

Patsy nodded and managed a strangled "thank you" before opening the door and gratefully slipping inside.

Sunshine was seeping through the gap in the curtains. Patsy glanced at the sleeping figure, her dark hair splayed across the pillow, her face partly obscured by her left arm which was resting alongside her cheek. Patsy looked around the room. The walls were a cream colour, contrasting with the wooden beams which stretched from one end of the room to the other. A small couch was positioned just beneath the window and there was a vase of fresh flowers on the dressing table. It was certainly more homely than the room she had vacated a few hours earlier; smelt better too.

Patsy quietly opened her overnight bag and located her pyjamas. Within five minutes she had changed and was sliding gratefully into bed. The linen was soft and fragrant and she sighed as she stole one more quick glance at her sleeping room mate and closed her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2 - Three New Friends

Delia stirred just before 8. Sitting up, sleepily rubbing her eyes, she gasped in surprise as she suddenly became aware of the extra presence in the room. She blinked and tried to focus on the sleeping figure on the opposite side of the room. Flame red hair was really all that she could see. Delia's heart went out to her, painfully aware of just how unnerving the initial days were following transfer. Not wanting to disturb the sleeping newcomer, Delia slid silently from her bed and crept across to the ensuite.

Inevitably Patsy became aware of movements in the house, but she wasn't ready to face this new day yet so she kept her eyes firmly shut, and feigned sleep. She listened as Delia re-emerged from the bathroom and padded around the room, evidently getting dressed. She then heard the door open and hushed voices.

"She's here then? What time did she get in?"

Delia shook her head, "Not sure, I didn't hear her come in. Poor thing must be exhausted; let's leave her sleep."

Hearing the door close, Patsy breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for some time to herself. She knew that she would have to meet her new house mates soon, but, for now, she wanted to shut the world out and sleep. In a matter of seconds, she had once again drifted off, not stirring until shortly before 10.

The house was quiet as she opened her eyes and glanced at her watch. Groaning quietly to herself, she prised herself from her bed and made a beeline for the bathroom. Patsy couldn't remember a shower ever feeling so wonderful, and for several minutes she simply stood and allowed the near scalding water to pound down on her. She glanced mindlessly at the various shampoo and cosmetic pots, which obviously belonged to Delia, and the anxiety quickly returned. Today was going to be challenging, there was no question about it. Everything was new and unfamiliar; meeting new people had never been Patsy's favourite past time and this was going to be particularly testing. She could hardly maintain a polite distance from these women when they were so obviously going to living in such close quarters. Back at the holding facility, she had found herself wondering over and over about these faceless, nameless women who were perhaps the only people in the world who could even relate to how she felt. At times she had felt comforted by that prospect, but it also left her feeling vulnerable and exposed. Patsy didn't let many people in; she was kind and generous but very few got to see the stripped back woman beneath the strong facade. She liked it that way, and it made her nervous knowing that these three would be able to see straight through her normally impenetrable exterior.

Emerging from the shower, Patsy tentatively opened the bathroom door and was relieved to discover that the bedroom was still empty. Her eyes fell on a photograph on her room mate's bedside table. The picture was of a dark haired girl with bright twinkling blue eyes, an enchanting smile and adorable dimples; beside her a chocolate Labrador with big soulful eyes, the dog gazing lovingly at the girl. Patsy smiled to herself. It appeared that she was not sharing a room with a lunatic; Delia, based on this evidence, at least, appeared to be nothing less than...well sweet.

Glancing at the clock, Patsy realised that she needed to get a move on; she hadn't realised how long she had spent in the shower. She prided herself on her punctuality and had no intention of letting it lapse now, particularly not on her first day here. Once dressed she checked her appearance in the mirror and frowned at the pale features staring back at her. She quickly searched her, as yet, unopened bags and located her make up. A quick flick of mascara and some lipstick would have to do for now. She pinned up her wet hair and, taking a deep breath, prepared to leave the sanctuary of the bedroom.

Patsy descended the first flight of stairs and paused. She could hear voices coming from the room on the left. From what she could see, it looked to be the kitchen. She knew that she ought to go and introduce herself, but as quickly as the thought entered her mind, she batted it away whilst silently chastising herself for her fearfulness. She carried on down the second flight of stairs and was just getting her bearings when Louise appeared, her trademark kind smile fixed in place.

"Did you manage to sleep?" she asked, gesturing to Patsy to enter her office.

"Yes, thank you" replied Patsy more quietly than she had intended. What on earth was the matter with her?

"Have you had some breakfast?" continued Louise. Patsy hesitated, looking embarrassed. Louise laughed.

"It's alright, I'm not going to admonish you...this time" she winked. "Tea and biscuits will have to do for now; it's almost lunchtime anyway. Do sit down".

An hour later Patsy stumbled from the room, muttering a strained thank you. Her legs were shaking and her chest ached from the effort of maintaining her composure. Louise eyed her in concern, sensing the bubbling anxiety lurking just below the surface. Her professional experience told her that such reactions were not in the least unexpected, but the maternal streak in her wanted to ease the younger woman's distress.

Patsy took the stairs two at a time and bolted through her bedroom door, not giving a second thought to the possibility that her roommate might be inside. This was the only sanctuary that she had. Heading straight for the bathroom, she slammed the door and leaning back against it, she slid down to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest, her breaths coming in shaky gasps.

Louise had waited a few moments before deciding that she needed to follow this through. She climbed the stairs, considerably more sedately than Patsy had done mere minutes earlier, and made her way to the kitchen. Hearing footsteps, all three occupants looked expectantly at the door. Louise smiled at them.

"Has your new housemate not joined you?" she enquired. All three shook their heads.

"We haven't seen her at all yet" Trixie told her.

"Well not awake anyway" added Delia. Louise nodded, disappointed, if not surprised, and turned to make her way up to the second floor.

Louise knocked the door to her right but didn't wait for an answer, not that she would have received one. The room was empty but her gaze quickly fell onto the closed bathroom door. Hearing nothing she crossed and knocked.

"Patsy?" she called.

"Just a moment", came the muffled reply. Behind the closed door, Patsy scrambled to her feet and, taking a calming breath, she opened the door. "Sorry, I was just..." Her voice trailed away and Louise observed the emotional battle playing out in her head through the windows that were her big blue eyes. Averting her gaze, Patsy swallowed hard, fighting to maintain her semblance of calm and control. Louise was not convinced.

"I realised that I had neglected to introduce you to your housemates" she said brightly.

Patsy felt her heart sink, "not now" she pleaded silently, but found herself unable to utter anything.

"So this seems like the perfect opportunity" continued Louise "They are all downstairs preparing lunch". Louise walked to the door and held it open, waiting expectantly.

"Just walk," Patsy told herself "...one foot in front of the other". Thankfully her legs obliged and she followed Louise down the stairs. The older woman walked purposefully ahead and greeted the girls brightly as she entered the kitchen.

"Ladies, may I introduce you to your new housemate".

Three sets of eyes turned to the tall red head who looked stiff and decidedly uncomfortable caught in their gaze. Delia was first to her feet.

"Hiya" she said warmly, "I'm Delia; you probably saw me snoring and drooling earlier," she grinned. Patsy tried to smile, knowing that she ought to say something.

"...You're Welsh!" was all that came out. Delia laughed

"Yes, amongst other things..."

"Sorry.." started Patsy, mortified that this was the best she had been able to come up with. But, before she had time to apologise further, she found herself face to face with a slim blonde with a mischievous grin.

"I'm Trixie...and this" She tugged the brunette behind her forwards, "is Barbara." Barbara had a sympathetic face observed Patsy, forcing another smile.

"It's nice to meet you all at last," she stuttered, her mouth dry.

"Well, I will leave you all to get acquainted over lunch" smiled Louise, clearly satisfied, and away she went.

Patsy's thin veil of composure slipped momentarily as she found herself stood alone with her three new housemates. Already rattled by the morning's meeting with Louise, she felt ill equipped to deal with this, and the internal struggle was starting to show. Barbara quickly came to her rescue, ushering her into a seat.

"You must be starving" she commented as Delia and Trixie began to load plates of food onto the table. Patsy had no idea whether she was hungry or not. Her stomach and brain had seemingly stopped communicating about 12 hours previously. Delia laughed at her confused expression.

"Don't worry, we've all been there" she assured her "Just try something though, I promise that it will make you feel slightly more human."

Sat at the table attempting to force morsels of food into her mouth, Patsy listened as the girls began to tell her a little more about themselves.

"I arrived first," Trixie told her, "six weeks ago. I was on my own for the first week, then Delia arrived." Patsy nodded.

"I only arrived about 3 weeks ago," Barbara told her "they said that you were coming a few days later, but I guess there was a delay."

Patsy shrugged. "They don't really tell you anything do they," she said quietly. The others fell silent then Delia spoke.

"It does get easier," she assured her. "Barbara didn't speak to either of us the first week that she was here...And then spent the second week crying." Barbara took the teasing with good grace.

"How was your induction meeting?" asked Trixie. Patsy paled further.

"Fine." she said through gritted teeth, her eyes fixed on her plate of barely touched food. "She didn't tell me anything I didn't already know..." she said, with more than a hint of bitterness.

"...but it's still hard to hear it out loud isn't it," finished Barbara. Patsy nodded, biting hard on her lip. She was determined not to break down in front of them. Delia sighed.

"I cried for two hours solid after mine" she admitted.

"Barbara locked herself in the bathroom and it took us the whole morning to coax her out," revealed Trixie, giving the brunette an affectionate squeeze. Patsy couldn't help but smile, feeling ever so slightly better.

"You're lucky to have arrived on a Friday," observed Delia "you have the weekend to get settled. We have a group session this afternoon so you will have some peace to unpack." Patsy was relieved that she was not expected to join the afternoon session, whatever that may be, and was more than happy to offer to wash up, as the others went back downstairs.

Once she had finally unpacked and put out some of her personal effects, Patsy had to admit that the room did seem a little more like home, albeit a strange boarding-school type arrangement. She drifted across to the window and perched on the couch beneath and gazed out. The garden was bathed in afternoon sunshine, brightly coloured flower beds lined the meandering pathways, a water feature gurgled gently in the centre and across on the left hand side stood a quaint looking summer house. The perimeter of the garden was marked by tall conifers; Patsy had no doubt that security fencing stood just beyond the wall of green. She looked out into the distance at the sparkling blue sea. Beautiful yet bittersweet. For all the adventure and opportunity promised by the vast sapphire blanket, Patsy knew that her current situation made thoughts of such impossible to realise. She sighed audibly, unaware that her room mate had returned.

"Don't torture yourself," said Delia quietly.

Dinner that evening was a simple affair. Patsy could feel the others watching her in concern and made a concerted effort to eat, albeit simply to fend off their unwanted attentions. This was the first opportunity for Patsy to get to know a little about her housemates. Barbara, the brunette with the sympathetic face, was the quietest. Timid and traditional, she clearly adored her family and missed them dearly. Patsy wondered how on earth someone so innocent had ever become embroiled in this mess. Trixie, on the other hand, with her striking blonde hair and blue eyes, exuded a sense of mischief. She was quite definitely the extrovert of the group and clearly missed her social life most of all. Then there was her roommate, Delia. Long dark hair cascaded over her shoulders and endearing dimples graced her cheeks as she smiled. A confirmed animal lover, she oozed empathy from the depths of her blue eyes.

The girls were desperate to know more about their new housemate but Patsy remained reticent, refusing to elaborate on her family and resolutely determined to evade Trixie's curious questions about dating and her "type". Smiling awkwardly she managed to steer the topic of conversation away from her and on to safer territory.

"So what happens here on the weekends?" asked Patsy. Meanwhile, Delia eyed her closely, wondering what secrets her room mate was harbouring.

Patsy was relieved when the others decided that it was time for bed. Emotionally wrought and physically exhausted, she longed for some semblance of escapism from all that was new and unfamiliar, and the only place she perceived that she could find this was in the haven of slumber. She followed Delia up to their room, taking the opportunity to change rapidly into her pyjamas whilst the other woman was in the bathroom.

"All yours!" said Delia brightly reappearing and yanking her t shirt over her head. Wide eyed, Patsy averted her gaze and all but ran for the bathroom. Thankfully, Delia didn't appear to notice and, when Patsy gingerly emerged a few minutes later, the Welsh woman continued with her cheerful chatter. It was impossible not to like her, thought Patsy; she was just so bubbly and unguarded..."the exact opposite of me" frowned Patsy as she settled down to sleep.


	3. Sun, sand and ever so slightly sloshed

Saturday was an entirely free day; no alarms, no programme, the girls could do whatever they wished. Rising late, they gradually began to emerge from their bedrooms just after 9, slouching down to the kitchen in their pyjamas, seeking a much needed brew. The sun was already blazing through the window; it was clearly going to be yet another hot, sunny day.

"Beach?" suggested Trixie with a grin.

"Be rude not to" agreed Delia.

Patsy looked at them in confusion. "But I thought..."

Barbara shook her head. "It's a private beach, only accessible from within the grounds. An absolute godsend, you'll see."

20 minutes later Patsy followed them down the stairs, curious to discover this little slice of freedom. As they reached the ground floor, Barbara picked up a small electrical pager.

"Just in case," explained Delia in answer to Patsy's quizzical look.

Exiting through the rear door, Patsy found herself in the beautiful gardens that she had admired from her bedroom window. She stopped momentarily, gaping at the sea of colour and intoxicating floral perfumes; it was truly stunning. She smiled sadly to herself, thinking how her mother would have loved this garden. She had always taken such pride in the garden at Patsy's childhood home.

"Come on Patsy, keep up!" called Trixie, realising that the redhead had fallen behind.

At the very bottom of the garden was a sizeable gate. Barbrara tapped a code into the keypad alongside it and then used a fob to open the gate. Once on the other side, all became clear; the terrain both to the left and right was entirely impassable, falling away into perilously steep cliffs. The only route available to them was the rugged stairway cut into the rocks leading straight down to the small cove.

Delia smiled at Patsy, "See, completely safe - there are only two ways to reach this beach...these stairs or via the sea. But there are rocks a short distance off shore which make it too dangerous for boats so, unless you're a fish or a mermaid, you're probably not going to make it that way."

Patsy nodded, "..so lovely" she whispered breathlessly.

Stepping onto the sand below, Patsy found herself slightly overcome. After weeks of confinement, the intensely liberating sensation of the warm grains of sand slipping between her toes made her feel so alive. Delia smiled at the look of bliss that crossed the redhead's face before heading across to where Trixie and Barbara had set their towels and begun stripping down to their bikinis. Patsy sharply returned to reality, feeling her throat tighten as she watched them, before quietly edging away, heading towards the nearby rocks. She knew full well that, in doing so, she was revealing a big chunk of her vulnerability, a side of her that she had been determined to keep hidden.

"Shit! shit! shit!" she chastised herself, as she pretended to be engrossed in the rock pools. She then clambered across to a smooth, flat rock and settled herself down.

Delia looked over anxiously. "Do I go and join her?" she asked in a low voice.

Trixie shook her head; "Give her a minute, it's early days for her, remember."

Delia sighed "I know...I think she has had a really bad time though, she was shouting in her sleep last night. I didn't know what to do. I just want to help her."

"You will" Barbara reassured her "..but she will need to be ready."

Despite their patience, Patsy didn't come back to join them on the sand. Finally, Barbara picked up two bottles of water and crossed to join her.

"I thought that you might be thirsty" she said kindly. Patsy smiled gratefully and took the water, taking a welcome gulp as she continued to stare out to sea.

"Is that an island?" she asked, straining her eyes. Barbara shook her head and squeezed her hand.

"I know it's hard, but it's easier when you stop trying to figure it out".

Patsy looked at her in embarrassment.

"I did the same thing when I first arrived; I think we all did." Barbara told her. Patsy nodded silently. They chatted for a few minutes then Barbara persuaded her to go back and join the others.

Trixie was asleep when they returned to the makeshift camp, whilst Delia was contemplating a dip in the sea. Barbara settled down but Patsy still looked ill at ease and sat awkwardly on her towel.

"You OK?"

Patsy nodded. "Redhead, pale skin, don't want to burn," she muttered by way of explanation.

"Oooooh, in that case, come for a swim with me?" said Delia enthusiastically, but Patsy shook her head, her anxiety masked by her oversized sunglasses. Delia grinned "Next time" she winked and sauntered off across the sand.

As they made their way back up the rocky stairs towards the house, Patsy lagged behind as if trying to cling on to every last second of her perceived freedom. Delia fell back and linked arms with her as they passed back through the gate into the garden. Entering the house, Trixie went to check for post.

"One for you Barbara" she called, tossing her a plain white envelope. Barbara clasped it eagerly and led the way up the stairs. Both Trixie and Delia went off to shower, so Patsy offered to make a brew, thus giving a grateful Barbara the opportunity to scurry into the living room to read her letter in peace. Five minutes later, Patsy entered the lounge with a somewhat precariously balanced tray of tea, and was crestfallen to discover Barbara in floods of tears. Quickly setting the tray down, she rushed to her side.

"What is it? Not bad news from home?" she asked anxiously. Barbara shook her head, giving her a tearful smile.

"No, just news" she sniffed. "Mum and dad write me these lovely but completely bland letters, trying to share news but essentially telling me nothing about anything, because they can't write about what really matters. They have told the rest of my family and all of our neighbours that I have gone to help an overseas mission in a remote village in Africa." She shook her head despondently. "I didn't even like my crappy job; the money was rubbish and I was bored mindless most of the time," she continued bitterly. Then, one night, the police turned up at my home and I find out that the sleepy little company I work for isn't just importing boring little computer chips; Nope! I am working for one of the world's most prolific drug traffickers. I thought they must be joking at first...one minute I was going to the cinema with my best friend, and the next I was being whisked away to heaven knows where."

Patsy put her arms around Barbara and hugged her tightly.

"I'm so sorry."

The realisation dawned on her. She really wasn't alone - these girls felt just as bewildered and vulnerable as she did. She began to see things more clearly. There was a reason that they were all together; different though their personalities and experiences, they all needed each other in equal measure.

Minutes later Delia wandered in, fresh from her shower. She didn't appear remotely shocked to see Barbara's tears and simply sighed sadly, planted a kiss on her cheek and threw herself into the nearest arm chair, cursing under her breath. When Trixie finally came in, her hair still bound in a towel she noted Barbara's red eyes and, taking a sip of her now lukewarm tea, she shook her head;

"One poxy bottle of wine isn't going to go far tonight is it".

Delia groaned, "Is that really all we have left?".

Patsy stood up; "Just a second" she said quickly, disappearing from the room. She returned moments later with two bottles of wine, a bottle of vodka and a grin. "Will these help?".

"Oh! You are an absolute angel!" exclaimed Trixie kissing Patsy on both cheeks. Even Barbara managed a smile; the evening ahead was suddenly looking considerably brighter.

"I have a confession" said Delia meekly, looking guiltily at Patsy. The redhead was unnerved, wondering what on earth was coming. "I kind of volunteered us to make dinner tonight" Patsy's initial look of unease quickly turned to alarm.

"What? But I can't cook" she stammered.

"Makes two of us then" Delia grinned. "Come on, team-work time. It'll be like the 'Great British Blag Off'!" Patsy chuckled; Delia had such an endearing sense of fun that it was difficult not to get swept up in her good humour.

Hearing the giggling emerging from the kitchen, Trixie opened the door and peered in;

"You two are going to produce something edible aren't you?" she questioned, sniffing cynically. "I'm hungry".

Delia feigned a hurt expression "Of course..now OUT!" She gave an indignant Trixie a firm shove and closed the door behind her, collapsing into a bout of fresh giggles.

By what could only have been some kind of miracle, a perfectly acceptable culinary offering was produced. Trixie and Barbara approached the table apprehensively but, tasting their first mouthfuls, both smiled.

"This is actually really good" said Barbara in amazement. Delia winked at Patsy and they smugly high-fived each other across the table. Conversation flowed, the addition of wine making them all much more relaxed and even Patsy, despite her guarded nature, joined in. She looked gratefully at her three new friends. She might not have chosen them but she sensed that each of them would be a great source of fun and, more importantly, support in the coming weeks and months.

Having polished off two of the bottles of wine already, they picked up the remaining bottle and retired to the living room. Patsy had not had alcohol for several weeks; it was not an option in the holding facility and, prior to that, she had been more concerned with keeping her wits about her. Consequently she was already feeling the fuzzy effects of the wine although, for once, she didn't care. Throwing caution to the wind, they moved on to the vodka and soon realised that Barbara had fallen asleep on the sofa. Trixie laughed;

"Bless our little lightweight" she said affectionately. Patsy got up to head for the bathroom and promptly lost her balance.

"Whoops" giggled Delia, catching hold of her arm to steady her.

"Looks as if we have one each" observed Trixie with a grin.

"Come on sweetie" coaxed Trixie, trying to stir Barbara "Time for bed". Barbara muttered something incoherent then went to snuggle back into the sofa cushions. "Oh no!" Trixie reprimanded her, "Bed time for you". She somehow got her hands under Barbara's arms and hoisted her to her feet.

"Don't be mean, let me sleep" protested Barbara, but Trixie held firm and half dragged her out of the room.

Delia turned to Patsy. "Can you walk?" she asked in amusement.

"Of course!" said Patsy confidently, trying to move away and swaying violently.

"Oh Christ!" gasped Delia, grabbing hold of the tall redhead again. "Wait a minute; let me help you," she giggled securing a strong supporting arm around Patsy's waist. "OK, I've got you, let's go".

Mastering the stairs was more of a challenge than Delia had anticipated and, despite the deceptive strength of the smaller woman, she was out of breath when they finally made it to their bedroom.

"OK, can I trust you not to fall over now?" she teased, as she steered Patsy to sit on her bed. She passed her her pyjamas, "Get changed!" she instructed before making her way into the bathroom.

Emerging 10 minutes later, Delia stood and laughed. Patsy was dozing, still fully dressed.

"You're supposed to have got changed" she chastised, but was simply rewarded with a sleepy grunt from her roommate. Delia finished getting herself ready for bed and then crossed back to Patsy.

"You can't sleep like that" she sighed. Delia reached for the fastening on Patsy's shorts but was instantly batted away. Delia placed Patsy's hand out of the way and tried again.

"Stop it," protested Patsy rolling over. Delia watched as her roommate pulled her legs up self consciously and she hesitated, uncertain how to proceed. Patsy appeared to have drifted into an alcohol-induced sleep. Delia reached across and gently smoothed the stray red tresses back off her face then picked up a blanket from the couch by the window and carefully tucked it around her sleeping roommate.

"Night," she whispered softly.


	4. Chapter 4 - These feelings can't be real

Next morning, Barbara was the first to mooch sleepily down to the kitchen. She was sat nursing a cup of tea when her roommate appeared. Trixie was considerably more awake, and took great pleasure in teasing poor Barbara, who was clearly feeling the effects of too much alcohol the previous evening. Barbara sank her head into her hands...

"Stop it Trix, I can't have been that bad," she groaned.

Delia and Patsy wandered in together and she looked to them pleadingly.

"Was I awful? What did I do? I'm so sorry..." she gabbled looking genuinely distressed. Patsy looked perplexed, her memory somewhat hazy, and waited for Delia to respond.

"You fell asleep," Delia laughed. She gestured towards Trixie "Don't listen to her, you were entirely tame".

Trixie wasn't ready to concede defeat yet, however, and turned her attention to Patsy.

"How's YOUR headache this morning?" she asked with a pointed expression. Patsy looked alarmed, her face flushing in embarrassment.

"What?..." she started, but Delia promptly came to her rescue.

"You were fine; you wobbled a bit but that was as exciting as it got."

Trixie sniffed in disgust. "You spoil all my fun," she moaned.

Breakfast was a leisurely affair and it was gone 10 before they dragged themselves upstairs to get dressed. Patsy, again, waited until Delia had gone into the bathroom before hurriedly pulling her clothes on. She was sat on her bed flicking through a magazine when Delia returned, chatting easily as she began to get dressed. Patsy didn't mean to stare, she really didn't; she kept trying to bring her attention back to the page in front of her, but she found Delia so captivating. The way that her dark glossy hair cascaded over her shoulders, her flawless pale skin and her smooth feminine curves which were just, oh so inviting. Again and again Patsy dragged her eyes away, only to find herself drawn back to the beautiful vision before her. Preoccupied with her silent self chastisement, Patsy was unaware that Delia was now looking at her.

"Are you OK?" she asked in concern. Patsy felt the colour rise in her face.

"Yes, fine" she stammered, "Just thinking".

Delia eyed her curiously, certain that she had caught a glimpse of something more. She quickly shooed the thought from her mind and finished getting ready, the decision having been made to pay another visit to their sandy sanctuary. Patsy's heart was pounding and her mind racing.

"Get a grip" she told herself over and over. "You cannot think like this, you have to stop it..."

"Are you ready?" asked Delia brightly, interrupting Patsy's private conflict . The redhead was flustered.

"Actually I need to sort something out first. Go ahead without me, I'll catch you up".

Once she heard the happy chatter of the other three crossing the garden below, Patsy let out a shaky sigh. This was not meant to happen. After everything that had gone before, she felt entirely ill-equipped to deal with any more emotional turmoil. Within minutes she had convinced herself that this was purely a reaction to recent events, the fear and loneliness she had felt and her longing to feel safe and loved. Delia was sweet and beautiful; she oozed an infectious sense of fun. The more time that Patsy spent in her company, the more Delia awoke a happier, more liberated side of the redhead's emotions, a side that had been firmly repressed for many months, perhaps even years. Patsy was misinterpreting her feelings. That was all it was, she told herself. Nodding resolutely as if to confirm this with some degree of finality, Patsy stood up and picked up her beach bag. She then traced the route the others had taken down to the garden. However, she faltered as she approached the large coded gate at the perimeter of the garden and, retracing her steps, she followed the path that led around to the side of the building instead. Here she found a secluded shady spot.

"Perfect!" she congratulated herself.

Out of sight, Patsy felt able to strip down to her swimming costume and she settled herself on her towel, listening to the high pitched shrieking of the sea birds and the gentle lapping of the waves on the sandy shore below. She knew that the others would be wondering where she was but she needed some solitude to re-order her thoughts and reconcile her emotions. In the event, it wasn't long before she fell asleep, gratefully letting her anxious thoughts drift away.

Patsy had no idea how much time had elapsed when she next became aware of her surroundings. The one thing that she certainly did know, was that her idyllic shady spot was no more. The sun beat mercilessly down on her and she felt beads of sweat on her face as she sat up reaching for her bottle of water. She took a big gulp then promptly spat it out - yuck, it was warm - most unpleasant and certainly not the refreshment she craved.

Slipping her shorts and shirt back on, Patsy peered across the garden and, realising that she was still alone, she edged around the wall of bushes that had provided such welcome solitude and made her way back to the main path. The house was cool and quiet and Patsy quickly climbed to the first floor, where she made a beeline for the kitchen. She was prising a bottle of cold water from the fridge when she heard a voice behind her.

"Where have you been hiding?" asked Delia, reaching out for some water. Patsy spun round but, consumed by guilt, she was unable to meet Delia's eyes.

"Sorry, I fell asleep" she muttered. Delia walked towards her with a frown.

" I hope that you're not burnt". She reached up and eased Patsy's shirt across to expose more of her shoulder. If Patsy's skin hadn't already been burning, the gentle touch of Delia's fingers certainly set it on fire.

"Where are the others?" stammered Patsy, hardly daring to breathe, as Delia allowed her fingers to linger.

"They're coming now" Delia sighed casually.

The tension was broken by the arrival of Trixie and Barbara.

"Oh good, she found you. She's been fretting!" Trixie rolled her eyes "We tried to tell her that you probably just wanted a bit of peace but she wouldn't have it".

"Sorry, I fell asleep." Patsy cringed realising how pathetic her excuse sounded. She needn't have worried; both Trixie and Barbara were far more concerned with getting themselves an ice cold drink.

Just before dinner, the four were relaxing in the living room. As they chatted Trixie began to fidget.

"Whatever is the matter with you?" asked Barbara curiously.

"I think I'm sunburnt" sighed Trixie screwing up her nose. "Are my shoulders red?" She yanked her t shirt over her head; Patsy balked at her boldness, hastily averting her gaze. Delia caught her expression and frowned in concern. Barbara got up;

"I'll fetch the aloe vera".

She returned a few moments later and Trixie squealed as the ice cold gel made contact with her reddened, tender skin.

"Sit still" laughed Barbara. "Right, anyone else?" Delia glanced over her shoulder and shook her head.

"Not me this time" she said triumphantly "...but Patsy probably needs some."

Three sets of eyes turned towards the redhead, Patsy promptly assuming the look of a rabbit caught in the headlights. She laughed nervously, shaking her head.

"No, I'm fine" she said far too quickly. Barbara looked confused.

"You do look a bit red, come on, let me put some of this on you. It's amazing stuff, it'll really help to take the heat out of it." She stood up and went to walk towards Patsy who was floundering for an excuse.

"Well actually...I just...sorry, I need to use the bathroom". She scrambled to her feet and all but ran from the room, leaving Barbara staring after her, a puzzled expression on her face.

"What the heck was that about?" asked Trixie, equally perplexed. Delia shook her head and stood up, taking the bottle of gel from Barbara.

"Let me try."

Delia sat quietly on Patsy's bed waiting for her to emerge from the bathroom. When she opened the door, Patsy froze, shocked to discover that she was not alone.

"Hi" she muttered more confidently than she felt, "sorry, did you need the bathroom?" Delia shook her head and smiled. She patted the bed,

"Shirt off and lie down" she instructed. Patsy didn't move. "Really?" sighed Delia in amusement.

"I'm fine" insisted Patsy as convincingly as she could manage, pasting on her most believable smile, the desperation in her voice, however, inescapable. Delia raised her eyebrows."Just come here...or are you afraid of me?" she goaded. Patsy rolled her eyes.

"Of course not" she lied, ("no, actually I'm terrified of you, of how you make me feel, every time you so much as look at me").

"Well then!"

Patsy forced herself forwards, still attempting to maintain a facade of control. Delia smiled, a kind, empathetic smile, which only served to make Patsy's heart beat even faster. The redhead gingerly sat down, silently undid the top two buttons on her shirt and pushed it back to reveal her reddened shoulders. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth as Delia gently massaged the gel in.

"It would be much easier if you slipped this off" coaxed Delia softly but Patsy shook her head.

"Sorry" she stammered hoarsely. Delia may not have understood the reason behind it, but she recognised the almost palpable fear and tried not to exacerbate her roommate's anxiety.

As they finished dinner that evening, Patsy became aware that the atmosphere had become noticeably muted. Barbara got up.

"I need to finish my assignment" she muttered miserably.

"I'd forgotten about that" sighed Delia.

"Wish Jenny had too," grumbled Barbara miserably. "Are you three OK to clear up?"

Trixie nodded, "I'll bring you a cuppa in a moment."

"What does Barbara have to do?" asked Patsy quietly. Trixie and Delia glanced uneasily at each other.

"Jenny's the psychologist," Trixie uttered, as if this constituted a reasonable explanation.

Patsy looked to Delia, hoping for a more comprehensive answer, or perhaps even some reassurance. Delia gave her a tight smile and Patsy felt her heart sink as Trixie quickly changed the subject. When Barbara did finally reappear, her face pale and her eyes red, Patsy felt the anxiety grip her like a vice. Delia lifted her arm and the timid brunette gratefully sank down alongside her.

"Finished?"

Barbara nodded and Delia pulled her close and kissed her hair.

"Well done".

For the next hour or so, Patsy pretended to watch a film, all the while sneaking surreptitious glances at Barbara, who was sat with her head on Delia's shoulder, staring vacantly across the room. Trixie, meanwhile, was painting her nails, uncharacteristically quiet. Eventually Delia sighed,

"Time to get some sleep" she announced. Trixie nodded and taking Barbara's hand, she pulled her to her feet. Patsy silently followed them up the stairs, the newly subdued atmosphere weighing on her shoulders like a blanket of dread.

Once they were alone in their bedroom, Patsy summoned the courage to broach the subject again.

"Delia, what is going to happen tomorrow?" The brunette hesitated and Patsy felt her stomach sink further. "Surely it can't be that bad?" she joked, the hitch in her voice belying her apprehension. Delia felt guilty and tried to back-pedal.

"No, of course not, it's just that weekends are so free and relaxed and we get to forget everything. I mean, nobody likes Monday mornings, do they?" she offered.

"I suppose not" said Patsy quietly, still haunted by the sight of Barbara's red eyes.


	5. Chapter 5 - A difficult morning

Lying in the darkness, neither girl spoke, but nor did they fall asleep - one dreading what she knew she would have to face the following morning, the other fearing the unknown. Their anxieties were helped in no way by the ever increasing feelings of attraction and tentative longing between them; feelings that neither had been prepared for and that Patsy, in particular, found terrifying.

Finally, Patsy heard Delia's breathing become steady and regular and she knew that her roommate had fallen asleep. She couldn't bear to lie in the darkness with only her fears for company, so quietly crept out of bed and tiptoed from the room. Fleetingly her mind entertained thoughts of running away. Her rational self was quick to point out that, not only was she here for her own safety, and that of those she loved, but she herself, had asked to be moved to the safe house. Uncomfortable though it may be, being separated from all that was familiar and having her freedom curbed, even now she knew that it had been the right decision. Patsy made her way downstairs, heading for the living room. She closed the door and switched on the television for company before settling on the sofa and pulling a blanket over her.

Delia panicked when she awoke the following morning and discovered her roommate's bed cold and empty. She quickly ran down the stairs and was relieved to hear the sound of the television from behind the living room door. Entering quietly Delia found Patsy sound asleep on the sofa. The Welsh woman observed her sadly, longing to provide comfort and to banish the anxiety that she knew was plaguing the woman, then crept back out and went to make some tea.

Returning with a cuppa, Delia gently shook Patsy's arm.

"Hey!" she whispered, "Wake up babe". Patsy opened her eyes with a groan, confusion registering on her pale features. "I brought you a brew. Couldn't you sleep?"

Patsy shook her head, yawning, "My mind was racing and I didn't want to disturb you".

Delia smiled "Come on through to the kitchen, I'll make some toast."

"Come on girls, you need to eat something" pleaded Delia, pushing plates of toast towards Trixie and Barbara. Trixie closed her eyes whilst Barbara sank her head into her hands.

"Please try" begged Delia with a hint of desperation. "Barbara, you fainted last week, you really do need to have something". Poor Delia was making an admirable attempt at positivity but it was essentially falling flat. She smiled brightly at Patsy as she entered.

"Toast's ready!"

"I'm not really very hungry" said Patsy weakly.

"Don't you start!" reprimanded Delia in mock frustration. Patsy sank reluctantly into an empty seat, refusing to meet Trixie or Barbara's eyes.

As the four of them sat in tense silence, each forcing themselves to consume a few morsels of toast, Louise tapped the door and entered the kitchen, smiling warmly.

"Good morning," she said cheerfully but only Trixie and Delia managed a response. Louise was not in the least bit fazed, being more than a little accustomed to the sight of anxious, sleep-deprived faces on a Monday morning. She had long since ceased attempting to lighten the mood with pleasantries and simply placed a schedule on the table.

"Would you like some coffee?" gabbled Patsy, grappling to find her manners.

Louise smiled, "You're very kind but I have a cup waiting for me in my office."

The moment Louise had left the room, Trixie snatched up the schedule, glowering at it. Delia leaned across to read it over her shoulder whilst Barbara looked as if she was on the verge of bursting into tears. Delia checked her watch,

"30 mins girls, come on, we need to get moving".

Patsy was still clueless as to what the day had in store, but she couldn't bring herself to ask. She dressed quietly then sat on her bed, fiddling with her bracelet.

"Ready?" asked Delia. Patsy glanced up, gave her a small nod and followed her out onto the landing. Immediately it was evident that Trixie was struggling to cajole Barbara from their room. She turned to the other two with a look of exasperation.

"She won't come out".

Delia sighed sadly, then crossed the landing and went into the room where Barbara was sat gripping the end of her bed. "Come on cariad, let's not be late" she said firmly.

Barbara shook her head, "I can't do it."

"Of course you can," Delia told her with all the confidence she could muster.

"I can't" stammered Barbara tearfully.

Delia took hold of her trembling hand. "Darling, you have to. Surely it is better to come down with us?...you don't want Jenny coming up here to fetch you, do you?"

Grasping Delia's hand tightly Barbara stood and allowed herself to be towed from the room.

Patsy caught her first glimpse of Jenny as they reached the ground floor; tall and slim with dark hair, she was talking quietly with Louise. Patsy instinctively backed behind Trixie, then rebuked herself for her ridiculous, child-like reaction.

"Go on in girls, I'll be there now".

Entering the small meeting room, Patsy looked around - five arm chairs laid out in a circle, within which stood a small table with a jug of water, some glasses and a box of tissues. Patsy instantly felt sick and wanted to turn and run but, as if pre-empting her roommate's response, Delia took her arm and guided her to the nearest chair.

Jenny glanced around at the familiar faces before her dark brown eyes settled on Patsy.

"Welcome, I am so glad that you have made it; I do hope that the girls have helped you to settle in over the weekend."

Patsy nodded, unable to find her voice. Jenny went on to explain the purpose of the session, attempting to reassure them that they could all speak freely. Patsy snatched a glance around the circle. Trixie was staring back at Jenny, her lips pursed, Barbara's eyes were fixed on her lap where she gripped her, now rather creased, assignment whilst Delia was frowning slightly, her gaze having wandered to the window on the far side of the room.

"...so you will be seeing quite a lot of me" finished Jenny.

The comment was directed at Patsy who rapidly pulled her attention back to the woman opposite her and gave a half hearted nod. Jenny laughed.

"Oh come on girls, I know that this isn't easy for you, but is nobody even going to talk to me today?"

"What's the point? I just don't see what good it will do" snapped Trixie irritably. "I can't change the past can I?...of course I wouldn't have dated him, had I known who he was or more to the point, what he was. I don't see how talking about it will make it any better!"

Jenny sat patiently allowing Trixie's outburst to run its course. The blonde shook her head, clearly embarrassed.

"Sorry" she muttered.

"Don't be," Jenny assured her. "You have every right to be angry".

Jenny turned her attention to Barbara,

"May I?" she asked, reaching for the piece of paper that the timid brunette was cradling

The next two hours were, quite frankly, nothing less than excruciating. Barbara sobbed for practically the whole session whilst Trixie did her utmost to offer comfort, all the while battling to maintain her own composure. Delia continually shifted nervously in her seat whilst Patsy shrank back against the cushions, praying that Jenny would completely overlook her presence. It appeared to be working and she let out a silent sigh of relief as the session came to a close and they all stood to leave, until...

"Patsy, may I speak with you for a moment?"

Patsy froze. Delia gave her a reassuring smile as she quietly closed the door behind her. Jenny signalled for Patsy to sit again. The redhead reluctantly perched on the edge of the chair.

"I just wanted to ask you how you were feeling," prompted Jenny gently "The first few days are always particularly difficult, and I am sure that seeing Barbara so upset was distressing for you." Jenny paused, but Patsy remained silent. "I want you to know that you can trust me," Jenny continued "We are your family whilst you are here, so please don't be afraid to confide in us. I know that you have had some very troubling experiences."

Patsy nodded, silently pleading with Jenny to have finished. She hadn't.

Consulting her iPad, Jenny bit her lip

"Since you didn't have the opportunity to talk this morning," she said with a knowing smile, "perhaps we could have some time after lunch?"

"Just me?" asked Patsy trying to keep her voice steady.

Jenny nodded "I think that might be helpful."

Patsy wanted to protest, to tell her that this would not be in the least bit helpful and that she had nothing to say, but no words came out.

"Go and get some lunch now and how about I see you back here at 1:30?"

"Ok" came Patsy's strangled response.

She stumbled from the room and was contemplating heading for the garden when she became aware of a figure sat at the bottom of the stairs.

"You OK?" asked Delia softly. Patsy looked into her compassion-filled eyes and longed to say no, to allow herself to crumble and to be comforted. Instead she blinked hard and nodded.

"Yes, I'm fine...thank you for waiting for me." Delia linked arms with her and they went back upstairs "I have to see Jenny by myself after lunch" Patsy confided.

Delia nodded "..it'll be OK."


	6. 6 - and an even more testing afternoon

Taking a calming breath, Patsy knocked the door that she had exited not an hour before.

"Hello again," Jenny greeted her cheerfully, "Take a seat".

Patsy gingerly sat down, her unease patently clear. Jenny smiled sympathetically,

"OK, let's not beat around the bush. You don't want to talk to me; believe me, I know. But this,..." She gestured to the house as a whole "..this can only succeed if we work as a team and, unfortunately, in the beginning at least, that will mean some very difficult conversations for you."

Patsy could feel her hands shaking so tucked them under her thighs and braced herself for Jenny's first question.

How she managed to get through the ensuing 45 minutes without breaking down, not even Patsy herself knew. Her throat was dry and her head pounding from the strain but she had resolutely refused to allow herself to shed a single tear. She had answered Jenny's questions with honesty yet no small degree of brevity. Jenny was concerned. She could sense the all-consuming emotion and fear that was bubbling just beneath this thin veil of control and she desperately wanted to break down that barrier. Time, however, was not on her side and, at 2:15, she had to tie things up so that Patsy could proceed to her appointment with Shelagh.

"I'll schedule some more time in the next few days" Jenny told her, but Patsy was already halfway out of the door.

Desperate to snatch a couple of minutes to catch her breath and to quell her frenzied emotions, Patsy was less than delighted to find herself, on exiting Jenny's room, coming face to face with a short, honey haired woman who looked questioningly at her.

"Patsy?"

Patsy's heart sank. "Yes, that's me" she replied quietly.

"Oh good, I went to the lounge to find you but you weren't there." she chattered.

Patsy gestured to the door behind her. "I had a meeting" she explained, barely masking her irritation.

The small Scottish woman looked suitably contrite.

"Of course" she muttered.

Patsy didn't move, feeling trapped by the intense gaze from the big blue eyes before her.

"I'm Shelagh".

She held out her hand and Patsy shook it, acutely aware of her trembling fingers.

"Would you like to follow me?"

Patsy dragged her feet forwards. "Any time you like with the lightning strike, earthquake or biblical flood" she pleaded silently.

Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Barbara but couldn't bring herself to make eye contact, lest her guise of control should crumble. She entered Shelagh's room and felt her blood run cold. Before her was a fully equipped medical consultation room - couch, curtain, instruments...the whole works. What the hell was this for? Seeing the panic sweep across Patsy's face, Shelagh was worried.

"Is everything OK?" she asked gently.

"Yes, fine thanks; may I just use the bathroom?" asked Patsy, her voice unnaturally high-pitched.

Shelagh laughed, "Well of course you can. Perhaps I could ask you to do the honours?"

To Patsy's horror, Shelagh placed a specimen pot in her hand.

Leaving the room Patsy employed every last drop of her resolve to walk rather than bolt to the nearest bathroom. Safely within, she locked the door and leant over the sink. Her eyes were stinging but she was petrified of opening the flood gates; if she allowed the tears to start to flow, she felt sure that she would be unable to stop them again. Dogged will power won out and Patsy slowly felt herself regaining a handle on her emotions. She looked at the specimen pot with abject disgust, unable to fathom why this undignified request could possibly be necessary.

"I'll just refuse" she said to herself petulantly, before reconciling herself to a more rational course of action.

Patsy did not dare be too long for fear that Shelagh would come looking for her. She took a calming breath and made her way back along the corridor. Passing the bottom of the stairs, she could hear Delia's melodic lilt coming from the floor above. She stopped and listened to the familiar giggle and longed to go and join her, to immerse herself in the Welsh woman's reassuring company and escape this nightmarish scenario. She then looked down at the pot in her hand and laughed bitterly to herself.

"Perhaps not".

Re-entering Shelagh's room, she managed a tight smile.

"Thank you very much" said Shelagh with an unnatural enthusiasm for someone who had just been handed a pot of urine. "OK, let's take a seat." She signalled to a chair and Patsy sat down, her face still etched with confusion.

Shelagh hesitated "You did know about this?" she questioned slowly.

Patsy shook her head.

"I'm not ill" she offered earnestly. "Perhaps there has been a mix up?"

Shelagh looked surprised at the suggestion.

"No dear, I have to take a full medical history from all the girls when they arrive. Did Louise not explain that to you?"

Patsy frowned; if she was honest, she couldn't really remember anything that Louise had said. It was possible that she had told her and that Patsy had just failed to retain the information.

"It doesn't matter" Shelagh reassured her, "You're here now".

The questions seemed endless, Patsy's heart was pounding, her mouth so dry that her tongue stuck to her teeth. How she wished that she had not quit smoking, remembering fondly the soothing effects of her beloved cigarettes. Just as well she had though; poor Trixie was struggling no end with the 'no smoking' rule here. Shelagh interrupted her train of thought, putting her pen down and pointing to the couch.

"Just the examination now, if I could ask you to pop behind the curtain and undress for me, we can finish this off."

Patsy stared at her in utter horror.

"There's a gown for you to put on" encouraged Shelagh.

Patsy remained rooted to the spot, shaking her head. Shelagh eyed her uncertainly.

"Do you need a moment?"

Patsy stared back at her;

"I'm sorry, I can't...I just...I can't"

She backed towards the door, her trembling fingers reaching for the door handle. Shelagh approached her.

"It's OK, please don't upset yourself. Take a seat for a moment"

But Patsy had made up her mind. She needed to escape and continuing to apologise she opened the door and fled, leaving Shelagh staring after her, completely bewildered. Patsy made a beeline for the back door and flinging it open, she ran into the garden, instinctively following the same path that she had frequented the previous day and stopping only when she reached the far side of the house. As her breaths shuddered through her she fell back against the cool stone wall and sank down to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest.

Back in the house, Shelagh was at a loss; she had never experienced this before and, for a few moments, she simply stood in the corridor staring stupidly at the open door. Relief flooded over her when a nearby door opened and Jenny popped her head out.

"Everything alright Shelagh?" asked Jenny raising her eyebrows.

The small Scottish woman quietly related what had happened and Jenny sighed, not altogether surprised.

"Let me go and talk to her". Shelagh nodded gratefully, rapidly reaching out to catch hold of the arm of an over-anxious Trixie who was clearly intent on following.

Jenny located Patsy with relative ease. The redhead didn't look up as Jenny approached.

"Hi Patsy, do you mind if I sit down?"

Patsy shrugged. The garden was still bathed in sunshine but Jenny noticed that Patsy was shaking.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" asked Jenny quietly. Patsy shook her head.

"Does it bother you when you have to get undressed?" Patsy lifted her head and forced herself to look directly at Jenny.

"I'm really sorry" she said hoarsely, her voice thick with unshed tears, "I don't know what came over me. I think I'm just tired."

Jenny nodded "You look exhausted."

"I didn't sleep much last night" Patsy admitted.

"It will get easier, I promise" Jenny assured her.

She stood up and held out her hand,

"Let's go back inside."

Panic immediately swept across Patsy's features.

"It's OK, we'll just go upstairs. You can see Shelagh another time, when you are feeling calmer."

Jenny took Patsy up to the kitchen where Barbra was sat on her own.

"Why don't you two have a cuppa together?"

Barbara caught sight of Patsy's desolate expression and immediately stood up,

"Yes, of course."

Jenny nodded, satisfied, and made her way back downstairs to continue her meeting with Trixie. Barbara tentatively reached for Patsy's hand.

"I'll put the kettle on"

Patsy groaned. "More bloody tea...I think I need something stronger than that" she mumbled.

Barbara smiled sympathetically. "I certainly know that feeling, babe."

By the time Delia returned upstairs, Trixie had relayed her own version of the afternoon's events, adding a teensy bit more angst than she had actually witnessed, for dramatic effect. Consequently Delia was actually quite relieved when she found her roommate subdued but certainly not distraught, as she had been led to expect. By dinner time, however, the strain was inescapable, Patsy's eyes looked heavy and she barely touched her food. As soon as she could, she excused herself and retreated to her bedroom. Trixie and Barbara forced Delia to stay put for a short while but eventually the strong-willed Welsh woman insisted on going to check on her roommate.

Despite the early hour, Patsy was already in bed, her duvet pulled up high, her face to the wall, pretending to be asleep. Delia was unconvinced but let her be, instead getting herself changed and settling down to read, although her concentration was somewhat compromised by her overwhelming concern for her friend. In the end she gave in and flicking off her bedside lamp, she lay down.

"Night babe" she said softly.

Patsy was not asleep but she didn't reply. Delia sighed quietly and closed her eyes.

An hour passed and Delia heard Trixie and Barbara come up to bed. With the house quiet, Delia was on the verge of falling asleep when she heard a muffled sound from the bed opposite. She listened and it quickly became apparent that Patsy had started to cry. The sobs may have been muffled by her pillow but they were unmistakable. Delia's stomach lurched as she tried to decide what to do. Finally she made her decision and, sliding silently from her bed, she crept across the room. Patsy was unaware until she felt the dip of her mattress behind her and a warm pair of arms slip around her waist. She gasped in a mixture of shock and embarrassment but Delia snuggled wordlessly against her, determined to offer comfort and, despite her initial unease, Patsy found that she didn't want to push her away.


	7. Chapter 7 - Kisses at sunset

Waking early the following morning, Patsy struggled to comprehend what had happened. Her head throbbed, her eyes felt gritty and, as she tried to move, she discovered an arm clamped around her waist.

"Huh?" she muttered to herself.

She was trapped against the wall and as soon as she tried to slide carefully away from Delia, the sleeping Welsh woman instinctively tightened her grip. Patsy conceded defeat and eased herself back down, torn between embarrassment as the events of the previous day flooded into her mind, and the extraordinarily soothing feel of Delia cuddled up behind her, holding her protectively, her breath warm on her neck. She glanced down at Delia's delicate hand and very gently stroked her thumb across her fingers. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so safe and, closing her eyes, she drifted back off to sleep.

Delia stirred some time later. She tried not to disturb Patsy and propped herself up onto her elbow, her other arm still cradling her sleeping room mate. She sighed sadly noting Patsy's swollen eyes and planted a soft kiss on the side of her head. Carefully easing herself away she went to head for the bathroom and watched as Patsy stirred, sensing the loss of warmth and comfort, her hand groping sleepily to the space where Delia had been lying.

Minutes later the Welsh woman came back out and smiled reassuringly in response to Patsy's pensive expression. She sat back down beside her.

"You needed a cwtch" Delia told her in a quiet but matter of fact voice.

Patsy nodded thoughtfully then stopped and frowned up at her.

"I needed a what?"

"A cwtch...it's a Welsh thing; it's like a hug, but better. It's a cuddle that makes you feel completely safe".

Patsy contemplated this whilst staring awkwardly at her hands.

"Welsh things are lovely" she whispered, her cheeks burning at the boldness of her statement.

She held her breath, instantly wishing that she could take it back, fearing that Delia would be shocked or repulsed. She quickly realised that her roommate was neither; she was, in fact, glowing with happiness and cupping Patsy's hands in hers, she raised them to her lips and kissed them softly.

"And to think, I almost ended up at the bottom of Pembroke Dock with a brick tied to my legs." laughed Delia. Patsy's face paled at this revelation.

"What?..I mean..how?" she stammered.

Delia sighed.

"I was running my dad's shipping company. Barbara's company used us to import their "computer chips". I didn't know her then of course, she was just the contact for one of my many client accounts. One day, a shipment went missing; it just never arrived and to be honest I didn't think too much of it at the time. I mean, it's annoying but these things happen from time to time; usually faulty paperwork or the shipment has been misdirected. But then I found myself subjected to all sorts of threats and abuse. Now don't get me wrong, I like my deliveries on time as much as the next person, but it did seem quite an extreme reaction to a missing quota of computer parts." She smiled wryly at Patsy "So me being me, I dug around a bit and, well, it seems I found too much information for their liking and the night before the police were due to go through my accounts, my office was trashed and my systems hacked. The police were afraid that they would come after me because, not only could I provide intel, but these delightful individuals now had my personal data too, so they moved me here."

Patsy looked at the small Welsh woman with a mixture of horror and admiration.

"You must have been so frightened?"

Delia shrugged.

"I was used to being bullied; it's that kind of industry and especially worse for a woman. By the time I realised how serious this was, I was already on my way here."

Patsy let out a shaky breath and hugged her. "Thank goodness they got you out of there."

Delia sighed.

"It's dad I feel sorry for; his company is in tatters at the moment, so he and mam have gone abroad to stay with her sister. I'm not sure which is worse to be honest - his ruined business or having to spend a month in Spain with Aunt Ceridwyn."

"Anyway, enough of that...get up" she instructed. "You had no dinner last night so you need a decent breakfast this morning."

Patsy shut her eyes,

"I can't face everyone" she whispered.

Delia rolled her eyes dramatically.

"I am going to pretend that you didn't say that.. Now up!"

She yanked the duvet back and taking her hand, she pulled the reluctant redhead to her feet and all but dragged her down to the kitchen.

The daily schedule lay ominously on the kitchen table. Delia glanced at it briefly then put it aside, so that Patsy wouldn't focus on it. Instead, she chivvied her to make the toast whilst she boiled the kettle. They were soon joined by Barbara and a very sleepy Trixie.

"Morning ladies" said Delia cheerfully.

Both responded with an inarticulate grunt.

"Do come in" called Louise;

Patsy hesitantly opened the door and, bracing herself, she held her head high and entered the office.

"Morning" she said as confidently as she could.

Louise cast a knowing eye over her, traces of the night before's distress were still evident on the tall woman's face. Jenny had briefed her on the events of the previous afternoon and Louise felt compelled to speak to the newcomer herself.

"I understand that you had a difficult time yesterday" began Louise, getting straight to the point. Patsy steeled herself.

"I think I was just a trifle overwhelmed, first day nerves and all that" she said with forced confidence and jollity.

Louise smiled kindly. "Yes, I can imagine that it is quite a lot to take in" she conceded "...but I am concerned by your reaction to Shelagh wanting to conduct a medical examination. She felt that you were genuinely afraid. Is this related to something that happened prior to you coming here?"

Patsy shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Louise continued,

"Each of you has had a different experience; all distressing in its own way".

Patsy nodded wistfully but was not forthcoming with an explanation.

"You really do need to let us help you to deal with your worries." Louise tried and tried but her efforts were in vain. It was as if Patsy had pulled down a hatch; she resolutely refused to open up to her.

"I'm sorry, I was just tired yesterday". she repeated. Louise didn't believe her but, for now at least, she accepted defeat.

"Well I hope that you have an easier day today".

Four mugs of tea sat untouched on the counter; the mood in the kitchen considerably lighter than it had been. Phyllis may have considered her yoga and relaxation class as a positive time of reflection, focus and spiritual healing; the girls, however had different ideas and once Trixie had started to giggle, there was no stopping the domino effect. Within a matter of minutes Phyllis had found herself despairing of her group of, what appeared to be, unruly school girls who had all collapsed in a heap, laughing uncontrollably. She had valiantly persevered for a good while but eventually even she had started to chuckle, relinquishing her control of the session and realising that, perhaps, laughter truly was the best medicine and this was really what these four young women needed.

"It was your fault" Trixie giggled, giving Patsy a gently shove.

"How was it my fault?" demanded Patsy, "I was just trying to keep up. Attempting to force my body into all those unnatural and undignified positions."

Delia wiped away tears of mirth.

I think that was the problem. I thought I was an uncoordinated disaster until you came along. Oh poor Phyllis, she must be emotionally scarred after that...'ladies, please control yourselves!'" she imitated.

Barbara shook her head. "I think even she thought it was funny..and to be honest, this is the most relaxed I have felt in 3 weeks so she should be proud of herself".

Later that evening, Patsy found herself sat alongside Delia on the sofa. The conversation was flowing easily and Delia appeared completely at ease, her hand frequently making contact with Patsy's arm or thigh as she chattered. The more reserved redhead was less relaxed, snatching furtive glances at the tactile Welsh girl, her mind continually flitting back to their exchange that morning. Finally Patsy decided that she had to move.

"I think I might go for a bit of fresh air before I turn in" she told them, with no hint of the disquiet plaguing her mind. She slid away from Delia and calmly drifted from the room.

The garden was almost entirely in shadow, the evening sun having dropped behind the trees that lined the perimeter. The only sounds were the distant cries of sea birds and the muted sound of the waves lapping against the rocky outcrop below. Patsy sighed; whilst part of her wanted to hate this place, it was difficult to deny its breathtaking natural beauty and tranquility. She slowly followed the path at the top of the garden which weaved through flower beds and bushes, ultimately reaching the modest summer house.

There were two steps up to a patio area, on which stood an old fashioned garden swing. The structure itself was white-washed wood and very simple, the interior equally basic with just a few garden chairs and a little table. Patsy settled herself on the swing and closed her eyes, soaking up the peace of this beautiful summer evening.

"May I sit down?"

Patsy didn't need to open her eyes to identify the owner of the Welsh lilt.

"Of course, sorry, I didn't mean to be anti social; I just couldn't bear to come back in when it's so calm out here."

Delia smiled.

"I thought that maybe you were avoiding me?" she said quietly.

Patsy shook her head and laughed, slightly nervously.

"Don't be silly..."

Silence. Patsy chewed on her bottom lip, uncertain as how to continue, desperate to break the tense silence that had descended between them. After a few moments Patsy became aware that Delia had begun to shiver and quickly took off her own jacket and wrapped it round the smaller woman's shoulders, rubbing her arms to try and generate some heat.

"Do you want to go back inside?" she asked in concern, making as if to get up.

Delia grabbed her arm and pulled her back down, looked directly into Patsy's eyes and shook her head,

"I'd rather stay here...with you" she whispered.

"Oh" breathed Patsy.

Patsy swallowed hard, trying to calm her racing heart. Delia was edging closer and Patsy felt certain that she was no longer simply seeking warmth. Patsy nervously lifted her hand and nibbled on the edge of her thumb. Delia watched her intently before reaching up, taking Patsy's trembling fingers in her own and lowering her hand to her lap. She squeezed Patsy's hand reassuringly then raising her free hand she gently smoothed the stray tresses of auburn hair from her face. Time seemed to stand still as they stared breathlessly into each other's eyes. Patsy inhaled deeply in an attempt to calm herself but the intoxicating scent of Delia's perfume filled her nostrils and swept away the last dregs of her self restraint. Delia gave the tiniest smile as she leaned forward and their lips met. Initially soft, sweet and tentative, Delia was surprised yet delighted when Patsy began to respond more and more eagerly, her confidence growing as her desire to connect with Delia increased.

When they paused for breath, Delia looked tenderly up at Patsy.

"Are you OK, cariad?"

Patsy nodded and sought Delia's soft lips again. Arms snaking around Delia's torso, Patsy was intent on eliminating all space between them and she pulled the small Welsh woman flush against her, simultaneously deepening the kiss, her tongue desperately seeking permission to enter Delia's sweet mouth. Reaching her hand up to the nape of Patsy's neck, Delia pulled the redhead closer still, parting her lips and relishing the sensation of the Patsy's insistent tongue.

Finally sated, they eased their lips apart, breathing heavily. Delia was not yet ready to relinquish the closeness, however, and maintaining her hold on Patsy, she lay her head on the her shoulder, nuzzling into her neck.

"I wish we could just stay like this" she murmured. Patsy sighed and stroked her silky hair.

They remained locked together for a few more precious moments then realised that darkness was falling and the other two would be wondering where they were. Delia stood first and held out her hand to Patsy who willingly took it.

"You make me feel safe" she admitted in a low voice.

"Good" smiled Delia happily.


	8. Chapter 8 - Patsy's story

"Where the hell have you two been?" demanded Trixie animatedly."We were about to send out a search party!"

Patsy looked unnerved, but Delia was not in the least bit fazed.

"We were just getting to know each other a little better, you know, without the likes of you two interrupting" she said casually, flashing Trixie a cheeky grin. "Pats wanted to find out more about Wales, and she was sharing her European influences with me; she has spent quite some time in France, by all accounts".

Patsy's eyes widened in horror but Delia was so blasé that neither Trixie nor Barbara picked up on the underlying double entendre. Delia smiled innocently at her as she proceeded to fill the kettle.

"Tea anyone?"

Alone in their bedroom an hour later, Delia giggled in delight.

"Your face was an absolute picture."

Patsy shook her head, cringing at the memory.

"They didn't suspect"

It was more a statement of relief than a question.

"No sweetheart" said Delia softly, sauntering across the room and cupping Patsy's face in her hands, "not that I would care if they did, but no, it is just between you and me... Trixie was more than likely preoccupied, daydreaming about classic French vintages and the like, whilst Barbara was probably panicking that her GCSE French wouldn't stand her in good enough stead to enable her to keep up with you." She pecked her on the lips then stood back, cocking her head to one side. "Shall I use the bathroom first? Give you some privacy to get changed."

Patsy's mouth dropped open, "What?"

Delia smiled "Oh Pats, come on! Did you honestly think that I hadn't noticed? I mean, you can carry on flinging your clothes on as soon as my back is turned if you want to?"

Patsy looked mortified. "It's not because of you" she muttered anxiously.

"It's fine, honestly, don't fret." Delia assured her. "Not that I wouldn't like to see you in your next to nothings, because believe me I can't think of anything I'd like more, but I can wait...for now," she winked.

Once changed Delia padded across to Patsy's bed.

"Shift over Pat, I want a cwtch before I go to bed".

Patsy shuffled across and Delia instantly snuggled in alongside her. They lay on their sides, their faces mere inches apart as Delia linked their fingers.

"Will you tell me what happened to you?"

She instantly felt Patsy stiffen and pulled her closer.

"Trust me" pleaded Delia.

Patsy took a deep breath.

"My father works for the NCA" she started.

Delia looked puzzled, clearly clueless as to what this meant.

"The National Crime Agency; it used to be called SOCA. They work to uncover big criminal groups - drug rackets, Paedophile rings, large scale fraud...that kind of thing." explained Patsy.

Delia raised her eyebrows.

"He's been with them for years and you can imagine the kind of people he has come into contact with."

Delia nodded, still confused as to how this had resulted in Patsy moving to the safe house.

"A long time ago, he was assigned to a case which didn't go to plan. They never discovered how the leak occurred; several theories flew around, but there was never any proof that it was someone from within, although it seemed the only way that they could have gotten hold of the kind of detail that they had. I mean, my father isn't exactly the type to gush about his family and he rarely spent any time with me, so nobody could figure out how they even knew that I existed."

Delia felt her chest tighten.

"You?" she asked "Something happened to you?"

"It was a long time ago," muttered Patsy dismissively.

Delia waited patiently but Patsy didn't elaborate.

"What happened?" probed Delia, her voice sounding considerably steadier than she felt.

Patsy closed her eyes, shaking her head. "I don't like to talk about it," she mumbled.

"Tell me" begged Delia softly. "Please"

Patsy braced herself. "My mother and sister died when I was small; we were all in a car accident and only father and I survived."

"I'm so sorry Pats" whispered Delia.

"Father was driving; it wasn't his fault, the van that hit us came out of nowhere and was driving so fast and erratically that father couldn't get out of the way, but he's always blamed himself. He'd always been committed to his career but, after the accident, he threw himself more and more into his work. I don't think he could bear to look at me every day because I reminded him of them, so he sent me away to school and I spent every summer holiday with my aunt. Father would write to me and send me copious amounts of pocket money, as if that would make up for it, but I rarely saw him."

She hesitated and Delia squeezed her hand, urging her to continue.

"It was during the summer holidays when I was 13; father was working, as usual, and I was bored. My aunt was wonderfully kind to me but she couldn't spend all her time entertaining a restless teenager, so, one day, I caught the bus into town by myself, and that's when it happened. One minute I was carefree, walking along the street, munching sweets and gazing in shop windows and the next I was bundled into the back of a car. I didn't even put up a fight." Patsy looked disgusted with herself.

"You were kidnapped?" asked Delia, her eyes wide with horror.

Patsy nodded in confirmation.

"Abducted, kidnapped, call it what you like. I don't know how they knew where I was; I guess they had their sources and were just watching me and waiting for their chance and I walked straight into their trap."

"Did they...did they hurt you Pats?" asked Delia shakily, struggling to control the tears that threatened as she contemplated the prospect of a petrified young Patsy being subjected to untold terrors.

Patsy held her breath, screwing her eyes tightly shut and nodded. "I don't know if they thought that it would make father give in or somehow that I would give them information. What they thought a 13 year old child would be able to tell them, I honestly can't imagine." she muttered bitterly.

"What did they do?" whispered Delia, not certain that she really wanted to hear the answer.

Patsy shook her head, "I can't...". She burrowed her face against Delia's chest, losing the fight to prevent the tears from escaping.

"It's alright darling, you're safe now."

Delia comforted her as Patsy began to sob. Slowly Patsy calmed herself enough to continue.

"I thought that, after that, father would come back to me. It almost broke him completely when they took me. But, if anything, it seemed to make it worse. He thought he had let me down too and that was too much for him."

"He left you again, even after that?" Delia's disbelief was laced with anger.

She was starting to comprehend the root of some of Patsy's fears. How long had it been since anyone had held her, really held her and made her feel truly safe? As a little girl she had lost her mother and her sister and, when she needed him more than ever, her own father had walked away, not once but twice. Delia could hardly bear to think about the damage that a vile group of criminals could inflict on a vulnerable, scared, innocent 13 year old girl. No wonder she shied away, fearful of letting anyone close, of revealing herself mentally or physically. She had never had anyone who would make her feel secure enough to be able to open up.

"So why now?"

Patsy shrugged, wiping her tears away.

"Well father has mainly worked at HQ over the past few years but they needed him for this case; he's a Middle East specialist and he had particular knowledge of this trade route so he agreed to go back into the field but on one condition - that I come here. That was 6 months ago. I really fought not to have to come because I knew that it would bring everything back. I have spent years pushing it into the darkest recess of my mind; training myself not to look over my shoulder and fighting to control the urge to run whenever a car passes close by me. Summer is the hardest time; you would think it would get easier with every anniversary that passes but it doesn't. Anyway, after father had begun this job, well I don't really know what happened but as the weeks went on, I found it harder and harder to keep it all the memories locked away. My aunt begged me to accept help after the abduction but I was 13; it was already horrible enough and I didn't want to be any more different than I already was. These days, it would be an automatic part of a rehabilitation programme but, back then, children would just go back home for their parents to take care of them. Only mine weren't there." she sighed

"What made you change your mind?" whispered Delia

"It got too much. I was scared all the time, convinced it was going to happen again; I even stopped going out of my flat. My aunt came over about 6 weeks ago and she talked me round. 15 years too late but she convinced me it was time."

Delia held Patsy tightly, planting gentle, soothing kisses in her hair.

"I'm going to take care of you now, Pats," she whispered, "Nobody will ever hurt you again" Delia told her earnestly "Not if I have anything to do with it".

Patsy smiled as several more tears spilled down her cheeks and an unfamiliar wave of relief washed over her. She could barely believe that she had finally revealed her biggest secret.

Patsy was more than content to remain cocooned in Delia's embrace. Her faith in the greater good had been shattered many years earlier, but now, lying with her head on Delia's chest, listening to the soothing sound of her heartbeat, she couldn't help but wonder if, somehow, it was no coincidence that she had found this amazing woman. She eased herself back and reached up to tuck Delia's hair behind her ear.

"You really are one of a kind aren't you?"

Delia grinned, "Mam always said that was a good thing. She reckoned that she could never have coped with another one like me!". Patsy giggled and fastened her arms back around the smaller woman.

"Stay with me tonight?" asked Patsy uncertainly. Delia smoothed the hair from Patsy's forehead so that she could look her in the eyes .

"I was beginning to think you'd never ask."


	9. Chapter 9 -If you can't stand the heat

It was Friday morning and Trixie was not happy, in fact, if truth be known, she was seething with rage. Having barely slept last night, she had a splitting headache and was, quite obviously, in no mood to hide her displeasure. Barbara sat silently at the kitchen table, hardly daring to breathe, let alone speak. She was pretending that she was invisible, whilst praying that she be spared a dose of Franklin wrath, as the angry blonde moved around the kitchen slamming plates and cups onto the counter.

After a blissful night wrapped in each other's arms, Patsy and Delia entered the kitchen relaxed and smiling.

"Morning!" said Patsy brightly.

Barbara glanced up giving them a wide eyed expression, attempting to convey a warning which could not have been any more unnecessary. Both women stopped in their tracks as Trixie continued her angry rampage.

"Everything OK, Trix?" asked Delia kindly, ignoring Barbara who was frantically gesticulating at her not to ask. Trixie scowled over her shoulder, as Barbara shook her head, dropping her face into her hands.

"Not really" she snapped irritably. "My head's banging and I'm really sick of all this crap."

"Oh babe" said Delia trying to diffuse the situation by adopting a sympathetic approach. "It's probably the heat. Let me get you some paracetamol."

"I don't want poxy paracetamol" shouted Trixie furiously, "I just want to get away from this place." Delia threw a quizzical look at Barbara, wondering what on earth had sparked this uncharacteristically sour mood, but Barbara simply shrugged.

"Trix, sit down will you; tell us what's bugging you."

Trixie huffed loudly then flung herself into the nearest chair. "I want my life back" she hissed. Barbara reached across and took her hand and went to speak. "Do NOT tell me that I have a right to be angry!" shouted Trixie before the timid brunette had uttered a single word. "If I hear that one more time, then I will scream!"

"Three months ago I was so happy; I really thought that I had found my Mr Right. He said that I was his princess and that he loved me and I believed him. We were planning our future together. I had even started looking at wedding dresses. How could I have been so blind? So stupid? He didn't mean any of it; nothing was real."

Patsy frowned,

"Maybe he did love you...I mean, just because he was mixed up in this, doesn't mean that he didn't have feelings for you too."

Trixie looked her straight in the eyes,

"Patsy, he was already married; the police told me that his wife lives in Thailand. I was just a convenient shag whilst he was busy protecting his illegal profit making enterprise. Completely dispensable as far as he was concerned. That was why they wanted to get me away from him".

"Total arsehole!" muttered Delia, always first to voice what everyone else was thinking.

Trixie was beginning to calm down at last.

"Shall I make you a cuppa now..or will you throw it at me?" asked Barbara tentatively.

Trixie laughed bitterly

"Oh I'm so sorry girls; I shouldn't take it out on you," she apologised. "I guess tea will have to do, since I can't even have a bloody cigarette."

The high temperatures had intensified through the course of the week and, by Friday night, the heat in the bedrooms at the top of the house was almost suffocating. Traditional nightwear had long since been abandoned in favour of shorts and vest tops in a desperate attempt to achieve some relief from the stifling conditions.

"Pats, are you asleep?" whispered Delia.

"No..too bloody hot" came the groaned response.

"Me too...got an idea."

Delia slipped out of bed, crossed the room and quietly opened the door, looking expectantly at Patsy.

"What?" asked Patsy, the mischievous glint in Delia's eyes already arousing her suspicions.

"Just follow me" whispered Delia leading her out onto the landing.

They crept down the first flight of stairs.

"Delia?" demanded Patsy

But was simply rewarded with a firm "Sssshhhh!" before the brunette lost her footing, missed the bottom stair completely and landed with a loud thud on the first floor landing.

"Well, that was graceful" giggled Patsy.

Delia flashed her a disparaging look before continuing to the second flight of stairs.

"At least tell me where we're going". hissed Patsy, although her curiosity alone was sufficient motivation to encourage her to follow.

Reaching the ground floor, Delia glanced over her shoulder and put her finger to her lips as she reached over and picked up the fob for the gate then proceeded to tiptoe to the back door.

"We can't go outside" protested Patsy.

"Why not? Nobody will know and the beach is beautiful at night".

"Delia, the gate will be locked!" Patsy told her in exasperation. Delia shook her head.

"No Pats, the gate SHOULD be locked but I think you will find that it isn't".

She dragged the reticent redhead down the path and Patsy held her breath as Delia pressed the fob to the scanner and entered the code into the keypad. The lock mechanism gave a decisive clunk and Delia smiled triumphantly as she led them through the gate to the cliff top beyond.

"Delia, we shouldn't be doing this" warned Patsy, but the fun-loving Welsh woman was not to be dissuaded. Despite her reservations, one look at Delia's exuberant face was enough to win Patsy over and clinging tightly to her hand, she allowed her partner in crime to lead them down the rocky steps.

Reaching the bottom, they discarded their pumps and both women gasped and giggled as they felt the cold sand beneath their bare feet. They walked hand in hand across the cove, savouring the cool night time breeze on their faces and admiring the subtle sparkle of the moonlight reflected on the water. Delia stopped and glanced affectionately up at Patsy.

"You are so very beautiful" she told her softly, reaching up to touch her cheek. Still uncomfortable receiving compliments, Patsy's smile was more one of embarrassment than pleasure. Delia looked reproachfully at her,

"I know you don't believe me, but you really are."

She slid her arm around Patsy's waist and pulled her closer before reaching up again, this time sliding her fingers through her hair with a contented sigh.

"Kiss me Pats" urged Delia huskily. Patsy didn't hesitate, her lips eagerly seeking their reward.

The deserted beach with the quiet lapping of the waves heightened the sensuality between them and as they continued to kiss, Delia guided Patsy down onto the sand, settling astride the redhead's legs. Aroused and desperate for more of Patsy, Delia's hands crept under the hem of the other's vest and allowed her fingers to traverse the soft skin on her back as her mouth found its way onto Patsy's neck. Despite her insecurities, Patsy melted into Delia's touch, her own hands grasping desperately for the Welsh woman's smooth dark hair in order to anchor herself.

"Pats" murmured Delia "You feel so good".

Patsy sighed in a mixture of relief and pleasure.

Delia would have dearly loved to really show Patsy how much she wanted her, but she was mindful of her anxieties and knew that she needed to take things slowly. Reluctantly peeling her lips away, she snuggled into Patsy's shoulder.

"See, didn't I tell you it would be worth it?" murmured Delia, her eyes dancing with joy. Patsy nodded, her mouth curling into a lopsided grin.

"So you remember the little promise you made me made?" Delia continued, a mischievous glint in her eye. Patsy lifted her head, eyeing the other suspiciously.

"What promise?"

"You promised me that you would come swimming with me," Delia grinned.

"Really? I don't believe that I did."

Delia nodded "Oh but you did! And a promise is a promise, Pats". Patsy laughed.

"I think you'll find that you said I should come swimming with you, and I neglected to answer."

"A mere technicality" breezed Delia getting to her feet and attempting to tug the redhead further down the beach towards the sea.

"Delia" protested Patsy. "I'm not..." Delia cut her off mid sentence, capturing her lips again. Patsy groaned, instantly yielding to the kiss. When Delia kissed her, Patsy found herself unable to think of anything else. The Welsh woman rendered her both speechless and defenceless and, as she eased her lips away, Patsy had no will left to fight as Delia towed her even closer to the water's edge.

As the waves began to lick around their ankles, Delia stopped again, a seductive look in her eyes.

"Pats?

Patsy looked at her with nervous curiosity.

"It's dark," whispered Delia pulling longingly at Patsy's vest. Patsy shook her head, beginning to back away.

"Oh no, no, no, no".

"But it's only you and me here" pleaded Delia pulling her back to her and reaching around her waist so that she could once again slide her hands up the redhead's back, relishing the feel of her bare skin beneath her hands "...and I want you so much." Patsy tilted her head and kissed Delia tenderly then took a step back and catching the brunette completely off guard, she drew her right leg back and, with a firm kick, she jettisoned a sizeable wall of water over her. Delia screamed in a mixture of shock and indignation.

"That was an error, Patsy...a REALLY big error" she announced, a wicked smile creeping across her face. She quickly reached down and using her hands scooped a hefty dose of seawater at Patsy who realised that it was time to start running.

Patsy sprinted up the beach but Delia, despite the size difference, was by far the more athletic of the two and quickly caught her up. She unceremoniously jumped on Patsy, making the redhead fall onto the sand where Delia grabbed her hands and pinned her down.

"No, Deels, I'm sorry" giggled Patsy, out of breath. Delia clamped her thighs around Patsy's hips rendering her unable to escape.

"So what are you going to do to make it up to me?" teased Delia bending over her so that their lips were tantalisingly close. Patsy tried to reach up to kiss her but Delia kept just enough distance to deny her. "Oh I think it might take a little more than that...although I suppose it might be a good start." she grinned.


	10. 10- I think I'm falling in love with you

After their midnight adventure, both Patsy and Delia slept late on Saturday morning, neither of them giving a second thought to the incriminating trail of sand which led up the stairs and across the landing to the door of their room. By the time they emerged, Trixie and Barbara had already unpacked and put away the grocery order that had been delivered earlier that morning.

"What time do you call this?" demanded Trixie in jest, as the pair wandered, still yawning, into the kitchen.

"It's Saturday morning" protested Patsy "we're allowed a lie in".

"Practically Saturday afternoon, actually" scoffed Trixie. "From the look of you both, anyone would think that you'd had a wild night out last night!"

Early evening found the four young women sat on the beach, each sipping a glass of cool, crisp rosé. Barbara had insisted that this was the perfect evening for a picnic and had taken responsibility for packing what the others subsequently discovered was a decidedly random and mismatched selection of delicacies. Patsy looked bemused as she picked up a marmite sandwich;

"Well, this is... unusual," she grinned.

"I like marmite, food of kings!" retorted Barbara.

Trixie rolled her eyes. "Classy!" she teased, helping herself to a handful of pickled onion Monster Munch crisps. "I didn't even know you could still get these".

"They're my favourites...my mum sent them to me".

"There's something seriously wrong with your tastebuds" muttered Trixie.

Delia lay back on the picnic rug, sucking enthusiastically on a sherbet lolly. "I think it's wonderful," she sighed happily, "takes me right back to my childhood".

The sun was beginning to set and the girls relaxed, grateful for the relief provided by the gentle sea breeze after days of relentless, stifling heat.

"Perhaps we should just sleep down here tonight" sighed Trixie.

"Hmmm, I bet the beach is beautiful at night" agreed Delia, unable to resist the temptation to flash a mischievous grin at Patsy.

None of them really paid much attention the change in the weather until a sharp gust of wind sent Patsy's wine glass tumbling.

"Wind seems to be getting up" observed Barbara, "I hope we aren't going to have a storm."

"No, not happening," murmured Trixie lazily, determined that nothing should interrupt her perfect evening.

It soon became evident, however, that a storm was indeed on the way, and quickly. The pale blue evening sky darkened as storm clouds gathered and angry white peaks appeared on the hitherto calm water; in a matter of minutes, they felt the first drops of rain begin to fall.

"Sorry Trix, it definitely IS happening!" Patsy grinned.

Hastily gathering everything together, they made for the steps and began to climb.

"You have to be kidding me" laughed Patsy as the initial spots rapidly escalated into a torrential downpour. "Trix, come on! Never mind the wine" she called to the blonde who was desperately trying to protect her precious glass of rosé. The rocky stairs became increasingly treacherous as the rain increased, and twice Delia and Patsy had to pull Barbara back up when she slipped and landed in an untidy heap at their feet.

"Hurry!" giggled Patsy as Delia fumbled with the fob for the gate.

"I think it might just be a trifle too late for hurrying," observed Trixie, looking at her bedraggled friends. "I'm not sure we could be any wetter."

They piled through the gate laughing then proceeded to fall through the back door, dripping water indiscriminately onto the floor as the first ominous rumble of thunder sounded.

"Well, at least I'm not hot anymore" observed Delia.

Trixie chuckled "Hot? You have never looked sexier, sweetie." she winked, as they traipsed upstairs to shower and change, leaving yet more puddles in their wake.

Once alone in their bedroom, Delia grinned at Patsy and threw her a towel.

"Well that was fun!"

She began peeling off her sodden clothes and couldn't fail to notice Patsy's stricken expression as her cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson. Unable to cope with the alluring sight of a scantily clad Delia, Patsy pretended to busy herself, towelling her hair. Delia stopped, eyeing her in concern.

"Pats?"

"Hmmm?" muttered Patsy her head still buried beneath her towel.

"Patsy!" demanded Delia more forcefully, "Look at me".

Patsy hesitated then shook her head;

"I can't" she stammered in a low voice.

Delia crossed the room and sat beside her.

"Hey!" she teased, as she tugged the towel away, her face crumpling in dismay as Patsy instantly fixed her gaze on the floor. "Why won't you look at me?"

Patsy sank her head into her hands, her mind racing.

"Patsy, please" begged Delia gently touching her shoulder. That one act of tenderness was all that it took, and Delia looked crestfallen as the redhead broke down. "I'm sorry Pats" gasped Delia, pulling her hand back, fearful that it may somehow be the reason for her distress. Patsy looked up, shaking her head as the tears flowed freely down her cheeks, then stood and ran for the bathroom. "No!" said Delia determinedly, darting after her and sticking her foot out to prevent her from closing the bathroom door. "You're not going to run away from me."

Patsy retreated to the far side of the bathroom and sank to the floor, curling up like a small, frightened child. Delia didn't hesitate and was knelt at her side in seconds. She slid her arms around Patsy and peppered the top of her head with soft kisses.

"I'm not leaving you until you tell me why you're upset".

From her tone, Patsy was in no doubt that the Welsh woman meant exactly what she'd said; she slowly raised her head a little so that she could rest her cheek against Delia's shoulder. She tentatively lifted her hand and lightly traced her fingers along Delia's collarbone. Delia inhaled deeply, relishing the contact as Patsy's hand skimmed up over her shoulder then journeyed downwards, tracking the strap of her bra.

"I want so badly to be close to you; I want to hold you, to touch you and to share myself with you," she sniffed. "You are the most beautiful woman that I have ever laid eyes on, the kindest, funniest person I have ever known. Deels, I think I am falling in love with you and it scares me so much. I don't know how to do this because the fear never goes away." Delia listened with tears glistening in her pretty blue eyes.

"Oh cariad...what happened to you when you were a child was unforgivable. Of course you feel vulnerable but if you trust me, then I promise that I will help you. We'll take our time and do this at your pace." Patsy nodded, kissed Delia's bare shoulder and gratefully pulled her into a tight embrace, as if attempting to dredge some strength from the steadfast Welsh woman. "Now, first things first, you need to get out of your wet clothes and get yourself into a hot shower before you catch your death...besides," she added, her lips curling into a cheeky smile "..that t shirt you're wearing is entirely see-through and I'm not sure how much longer I can control myself."

When they finally returned to the kitchen, Trixie was apparently still mourning the loss of her precious glass of rosé which had proved too waterlogged to salvage, and being presented with yet another cup of tea had seemingly added insult to injury. If Trixie and Barbara noticed Patsy's bloodshot eyes, they chose not to enquire as to the reason. Perhaps that was why, when Delia yawned and stretched, announcing that she was going to go to bed considerably earlier than usual, they passed no comment. Initially Patsy made no attempt to follow her roommate but Delia soon rectified this.

"You look exhausted Pats, come on, let's get an early night."

Patsy obediently followed her.

Entering their bedroom, Patsy looked uncertainly at Delia who smiled reassuringly and held out her hand.

"Come here sweetheart. It's alright, nothing will happen that you don't want," she whispered. Patsy nodded. "I need you to know that you're completely safe with me."

Delia was so very gentle; her hands stroked Patsy's face as though it were made of glass, her lips caressing her with infinite care and sensitivity. Patsy let out the tiniest sigh of contentment and Delia felt a smidgen of the redhead's tension dissipate. She smiled to herself then guided Patsy to sit beside her on her bed.

Delia kissed her again, this time more passionately, her hands gliding effortlessly through Patsy's hair. Locking eyes with the shy redhead, Delia's hands skimmed down Patsy's sides and slid carefully underneath Patsy's t shirt. Patsy gasped nervously but Delia continued to hold her gaze,

"Trust me" she whispered and gently, but deliberately, she allowed her hands to explore the soft skin beneath. Patsy closed her eyes, inhaled deeply then tentatively reached forwards.

"Go on" encouraged Delia taking Patsy's trembling hand and placing it on her waist then leaning in to kiss her again.

"Pats" breathed Delia "Please don't panic, keep looking at me, OK?" Patsy watched trustingly as Delia slipped her own t shirt off and then reached for hers. "You're safe; I'll take care of you" she repeated easing the shirt over Patsy's head. Patsy was holding her breath, fighting so hard to overcome the fearfulness which made her want to run. "Breathe cariad" coaxed Delia pulling her securely into her arms. "I've got you".

Patsy was overwhelmed, absolutely certain that she had, never before in her life, felt a more wonderful sensation than she was enjoying at that moment. Enveloped in Delia's embrace, their breasts separated by nothing more than two fine pieces of fabric, the feeling of skin on skin and the delicious and heady fragrance that was so uniquely Delia's made her feel so alive. She moaned involuntarily, her hands frantically reaching out; desperate for more contact, for more of Delia.

Lips meeting again, Patsy's desire was now taking control, sidelining her self-conscious anxieties. Her hands luxuriated in the feel of Delia's glossy dark hair before drifting to her shoulder and boldly easing her bra strap down. Delia moaned in anticipation instinctively deepening the kiss, their tongues now eagerly exploring.

"Please Patsy" begged Delia, imploring her to find the courage to continue.

Patsy's hands were shaking but for once, her longing was stronger than her fear; she reached for the fastening of Delia's bra and fumbling momentarily, she released it. Delia let out a shaky breath, full of pent up desire as Patsy eased the soft cotton forwards and away.

Patsy swallowed hard, her eyes wide, as she took in the sight before her. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out; Delia giggled.

"Are you OK babe?"

Patsy nodded, unable to tear her eyes from Delia's perfect breasts. "Is it OK if I...?"

Delia smiled seductively, reaching forward to kiss her, muttering softly against her lips,

"What do you think?"

Patsy needed no further encouragement, her expression of awe quickly becoming one of unabashed desire as first her hands, and then her mouth discovered this new and irresistible territory. Delia gasped in delight; clearly her careful instruction was not as necessary as she had anticipated. Her head fell back as Patsy continued her increasingly confident journey of discovery.

Delia could resist no longer, she needed more of Patsy and her hands honed in on the redhead's bra strap. She paused briefly, waiting for any sign that Patsy may be uncomfortable, but sensing no fear, she continued, her nimble fingers deftly unclipping the redhead's bra and sighing contentedly as she ran her hands down Patsy's fully exposed back.

"Pats, you feel like heaven" she whispered as she sat back and gently slipped away her bra. Patsy's face revealed the tiniest flicker of unease but Delia was quick to bring her back into the refuge of her arms, kissing her neck, continuing to whisper reassuringly to her.

Patsy struggled with the overwhelming sensuality of breast on breast. She had never before felt such closeness and love from another human being and her eyes glistened with tears of happiness and gratitude. She sought Delia's lips again, needing to complete their connection. Delia sighed contentedly, pulling Patsy to lie with her. She propped herself up on one elbow, her other hand continuing to gently caress Patsy's stomach.

"And that, my darling, is why you don't ever need to be scared with me." she whispered. Patsy's flushed face and euphoric expression told her more than any words could ever express.


	11. A Sunday visitor

Sundays were generally the quietest day of the week at the Safe House. Aside from the change in shift staff at the security lodge, it was not unusual for the gates to remain closed. Whilst Louise lived on site, she had her own quarters and was rarely seen on the weekends, unless there was some kind of emergency; mercifully this was a rare occurrence.

Within minutes of waking on this particular Sunday, however, all four girls realised that something was different. From her bedroom, at the front of the house, Barbara had awoken to the distant sound of the gates opening, followed a few minutes later by the familiar noise of a car rumbling over the loose stones on the driveway. She tiptoed to the window, doing her best not to wake Trixie, who was still snoring quietly. All that she could see was a silver saloon car, parked close to the front of the house; she returned to sit on her bed, but seconds later heard the clunk of the main door and the muffled sound of voices downstairs.

Barbara crept out onto the landing and came face to face with Delia.

"There's someone downstairs," whispered the Welsh woman anxiously.

Barbara looked petrified. "Nobody ever comes on a Sunday, something must be wrong."

They strained to hear, hoping to catch a snippet of conversation which might give them a clue as to what was going on.

"That's Louise" whispered Barbara, "But I don't recognise the man's voice.

Continuing with their rather unsuccessful attempt at eavesdropping, they heard a door close and could no longer detect the voices. Barbara looked at Delia in alarm.

"We need to wake the others."

"Look, there's not a lot we can do until someone comes to talk to us" whispered Trixie as they made their way down the stairs.

Patsy peered over the bannister,

"Maybe they are just having a meeting?" she suggested.

"On a Sunday? Not likely!" countered Trixie, shaking her head.

Ever the practical one, Delia took the lead, ushering the other three into the kitchen. "Let's at least have some breakfast whilst we can."

An hour passed and there was still no further sound from downstairs. Then they heard another car pull up outside. Delia beat Barbara in the race to the window,

"Jenny" she announced "That's definitely a bad sign."

It appeared that Jenny was whom they had been awaiting as, shortly after her arrival, the girls heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Trixie forced her most reassuring smile, attempting to bolster Barbara, whilst Delia slipped her hand into Patsy's under cover of the table.

"Morning ladies" said Louise; her familiar steady tone was present but there was distinct strain behind her smile which rendered all four girls uneasy. "I'm so sorry to disturb you on a Sunday; however, I do need to borrow Trixie, if I may...you might want to get dressed first my dear". Trixie visibly paled as the others eyed her anxiously.

"Of course," said Trixie quietly, rising and making her way from the room.

"What's going on?" demanded Delia, but Louise simply smiled and shook her head.

"I am sorry but I can't tell you anything more at the moment."

Up in her bedroom, Trixie was pulling on her clothes whilst fighting to remain as calm as she could. She resolutely applied her make up and ensured that her hair was immaculate. Whatever it was that she was going to have to face, she was damn sure that she was going into battle with everything as it should be. Dozens of scenarios flitted through her head, each one more unsettling than the one before. She forced herself from her room and, holding her head high, she made her way back down the stairs. Louise met her on the first floor landing and accompanied her to the ground floor.

Entering Louise's office, Trixie found herself face to face with a slightly dishevelled looking man who appeared to be in his early 50s.

"Hello again" he said kindly. Trixie gave him a tight smile; she recognised him as the officer who had interviewed her following the arrest of her then boyfriend

"Hello Superintendent Turner" she managed, her voice unusually high pitched.

"Do call me Patrick"

"Would you sit down Trixie," requested Louise.

Trixie reluctantly perched on the nearest chair trying to avoid making eye contact with Jenny, who was sat alongside Louise, watching the blonde like a hawk.

"So? What's happened?" demanded Trixie, getting straight to the point. Patrick smiled, this forthright young woman had clearly lost none of her mettle during her time at the Safe House. He wasted no time in enlightening her.

"So, you know that Rafi's trial is due to start this week?" Trixie grimaced, she had been doing her best to forget about this.

"Yes," she said coldly.

"Well, I had a call on Friday night to let me know about some evidence that the defence is intending to put forward."

"More lies, no doubt" Trixie muttered bitterly.

Patrick continued; "Obviously we have your statement but, with this new argument that they are putting forward, it is possible that we might need to call you as a witness."

Trixie shook her head in horror.

"But you promised, you said that my written statement would be fine; I told you.. I can't give evidence, I won't".

"I know I did and I'm sorry; I understand that this will come as a nasty shock. We really thought that your statement would be sufficient, but we can't risk him getting acquitted, and we truly believe that your testimony would make the difference. "There was silence as Trixie mulled this over. She shook her head desperately;

"After everything I've been through. If it wasn't bad enough being dragged off a plane in front of everyone, as if I was a criminal; now you want to put me through this." Her voice was thick with emotion and all colour had drained from her face.

"We will talk you through the process to help you prepare for it," Patrick told her kindly.

"I don't want you to talk me through it!" snapped Trixie, "I trusted you, you gave me your word...you promised me." Patrick looked to Jenny and Louise for help but Trixie wasn't finished. "What the hell was the point in my coming here, leaving my home, my family, all my friends so that I could be safe, if you're going to drag me back there and make me face him in a courtroom? Tell me that!" She was now screaming at him.

Louise looked to Jenny who stood up and moved to crouch in front of Trixie.

"Listen to me Trixie; we will keep you safe and we will help you with this." she told her calmly. Trixie shook her head, the tears that had been pooling in her eyes now spilling over and running down her cheeks.

"I don't want to do this," she croaked, hiding her face in her hands. "I may as well just run away," she sobbed.

Jenny took her hands,

"No, come on now, you know that's not the answer"

"When?" stammered Trixie.

"The case is due to start on Tuesday," Patrick told her quietly "The jury will need to be sworn in and the judge will hear opening statements. Then it will be the prosecution arguments. I can't say for sure what day we would call you, but not before Thursday or Friday at the earliest". Trixie nodded slowly.

"OK, can I go now, please?"

Louise sighed and nodded. "Of course, but I would like to speak with you again later." She was talking to thin air, Trixie was long gone.

The other three girls had not moved from the kitchen; they could hear Trixie's raised voice from where they were and waited nervously for her to re-emerge. Soon enough they heard her running up the stairs and the unmistakeable sound of her sobs. Barbara immediately ran from the room, and sprinted up the stairs. She barged into the bedroom where she found Trixie crying hysterically into her pillow.

"Trix, what happened?" she pleaded rushing to her side. Trixie was the strong one, she was the one who always made everything OK and to see her in this much distress cut through Barbara like a blade. She did her best to offer comfort, rubbing her back and kissing her shoulder but Trixie was inconsolable.

Patsy and Delia were not far behind and Barbara looked desperately at them, her own eyes brimming with tears.

"Trix?" probed Delia gently "What's the matter Cariad? What did they say?" Trixie turned her head to the side.

"I have to go to court; they want me to give evidence because otherwise they think that bastard will get off."

Delia gasped. "Oh Trix, I am so sorry darling. Do you know when?"

Trixie shrugged, "Probably some time this week."

Between them, they succeeded in calming Trixie a little; Patsy was sent to fetch a tray of tea and they all crowded onto Trixie's bed, the physical closeness serving to provide comfort and unity. If there was one thing that the Safe House certainly did, it made the girls fiercely protective of one another. Their shared fears and experiences and the enforced isolation from all that they knew, bonded them in a way that they had never experienced before. Even in their darkest moments, each of them knew that they were never alone.


	12. Chapter 12 - Happy Birthday Delia

** _Please let me know if you consider that this chapter requires Higher than a T rating; I do not wish to offend.**_

"What a bloody joke!" exploded Trixie storming into the kitchen. The other three looked up.

"Trix?" enquired Delia.

"Mental ill health!" she exclaimed.

Delia frowned "'Sorry babe but I don't follow?"

"That's what he's arguing...Rafi. He's claiming that he's mentally ill so he can avoid the trial. Unbelievable! I mean seriously, since when did being a complete and utter tosser mean that you've got a psychiatric disorder? If anyone is mentally ill, it must be me for ever having contemplated a relationship with that pitiful excuse for a human being."

It was Monday evening and, after 36 exhaustingly fretful hours that had frequently seen Trixie reduced to tears, nobody had seen this twist coming.

"So what happens now?" asked Patsy.

"Everything is put on hold, apparently, whilst they do a psychiatric assessment and decide whether he really is a basket case or if he is, in fact, just a spineless wanker."

Barbara frowned. "But that does, at least, mean that you don't have to worry about going to court this week? That's a good thing isn't it?"

Trixie nodded "Yes," she sighed "Hell..I need a drink, and don't you dare offer me tea."

"I'm on it" called Patsy grabbing a bottle of wine from the fridge.

Patsy and Delia had quickly fallen into a comfortable routine of sleeping semi-clothed, wrapped in each other's arms. Whilst Delia had not yet tried to progress the physicality of their relationship, for fear of pushing Patsy beyond what she was ready to cope with, there was no doubt that the redhead's confidence had grown significantly over the past few nights and she now looked forward to the reassuring click that signalled that their bedroom door was closed, and she was safe in the knowledge that she had Delia completely to herself.

One thing that Delia had neglected to mention to Patsy, though, was that her birthday was fast approaching. It wasn't really something that Delia was concerned about, nor that she wished to broadcast; after all, they were hardly best placed for any kind of proper celebration, so she had chosen to dismiss it from her mind. Delia had overlooked one tiny detail, however; Trixie! The small brunette had no recollection of the conversation that she had apparently had during her first few weeks at the Safe House, when she had let slip the date of her birthday. Trixie, to her credit, had retained this snippet of information and was planning a modest, but nonetheless thoughtful, treat for the birthday girl.

"Happy Birthday!" cried Trixie exuberantly, bursting into the bedroom with a laden tray, closely followed by Barbara.

In an instant, Patsy screamed and dived under the bedclothes,

"Holy shit, what the hell?" swore Trixie loudly, whilst Delia scrambled to try and preserve what was left of her modesty. Barbara, on the other hand, simply stared, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open, failing to notice that the tea cup that she was holding was now the source of a small, beige waterfall, forming a puddle on the carpet.

Trixie shook her head, apparently hoping that this action might actually assist her in achieving some clarity on the situation before her.

"So, you two are...?"

Delia nodded. "And?" she challenged.

"No, nothing; I just had no idea," spluttered Trixie.

Delia shrugged "You've had a lot on your mind Trix, besides, Pats wasn't ready to make it public knowledge and I respected that," she explained simply, all the while attempting to pull Patsy from her hiding place. "Pats, it's alright, you can sit up darling."

"Well, we brought you some breakfast in bed," said Trixie, finally managing to recover, "but it would appear that you have sorted out your own birthday treat."

"Shut up, Trixie!" came the muffled voice from beneath the covers.

Barbara was already backing towards the door, "Trix, come on!"

Trixie shook her head, her initial shock now replaced by amusement. "What a pair of dark horses!" she grinned.

"Trixie!" repeated Barbara, urging her to exit.

"You can leave the breakfast thanks," called Delia.

Patsy was positively bereft by this turn of events and, having been forcibly dragged back up the bed, she buried her face in the pillow.

"Nooooo" she moaned.

"Just calm down Pats, it's OK. I mean, they would have found out pretty soon anyway. At least this way, they've saved us the job of having to tell them".

Patsy, somewhat ungraciously, conceded this but then turned her attention to the fact that it was Delia'a birthday. "Why on earth didn't you tell me?"

Delia laughed, "What for? So that you could go out shopping?" she asked sarcastically.

Patsy pulled a face. "Obviously not, but I could have, you know, done something special for you."

"Oh really?" Delia's eyes lit up "And what exactly did you have in mind?" Patsy looked flustered but Delia laughed. "Oh, come on Pats, I'm teasing."

Despite the obvious limitations, the girls made a real effort to make Delia feel special and Trixie, being the most accomplished cook of the four, offered to make dinner. Patsy hovered in the kitchen under the pretext of helping, but basically just got in the way.

"Patsy, I've got this...really, I can manage," gasped Trixie in exasperation, as she tripped over the redhead for the fourth time. Patsy still seemed agitated and wouldn't leave the kitchen. In the end, Trixie stopped what she was doing and looked at her. "What on earth is bugging you?"

Patsy looked away, "it's nothing," she muttered.

Trixie sighed, "It clearly isn't! Look, sit down a moment."

"Well?" demanded Trixie "Is it because of this morning?"

Patsy shook her head. "Not exactly...it's just it's Deels' birthday and I really want to do something to let her know how special she is... to me."

Trixie raised her eyebrows "...ummm...Patsy, surely that is something between the two of you?" Patsy's cheeks burned with shame as she stared at the floor. "Oh for heaven's sake Patsy, spit it out before the food is ruined."

Patsy shut her eyes so that she would not have to see Trixie's reaction. "Delia's the first person I have ever been able to...to trust. I'm no good at any of this. I mean, I can't get her flowers or take her out. It's hardly romantic is it?"

Trixie's heart instantly melted at Patsy's raw helplessness, and she reached for her hands.

"Oh Patsy, sweetie, I'm sorry...I'll help you, OK? Just let me sort this food out first."

After dinner, which had, of course, included the mandatory ritual humiliation of a rendition of 'Happy Birthday', Trixie pulled Barbara aside. "I need you to distract Delia for me," she whispered.

Barbara looked confused.."What? How do you expect me to do that?"

"Take her for a walk in the gardens, tell her you need to talk, I don't know, make something up...just give me half an hour OK?"

Bemused, Barbara did as she was told, impressing even herself with her ability to indulge in endless inane chatter. Back inside, Trixie grabbed Patsy's arm and dragged her up to her room.

"I can hardly believe I am doing this and if you breathe a word to a soul, I swear I will punch you...Stay there, I'll be right back." She dashed out and returned moments later with a handful of tea lights which she positioned in various spots around the room, then held up a box of matches. Patsy nodded slowly; romantic lighting, that seemed reasonable.

"Music?" prompted Trixie. Patsy pointed at Delia's Ipod.

"...Yep, that'll do. Doesn't really matter what it is as long as you get the volume just right. What else?...ooooh, I know!" Trixie rushed back out and returned with a tub of fancy looking lotion. "This is perfect!" she enthused, clearly getting into the swing of her newly adopted role.

"What is that?" asked Patsy dubiously.

"Massage lotion...well strictly speaking it isn't, but it's oil based and smells divine."

"Massage lotion," repeated Patsy uncertainly.

"I am not spelling it out for you," Trixie told her rolling her eyes. "If you don't know what to do with it, then please God, just use your imagination..."

Patsy blushed.

"And I am not going through your underwear drawer either... I take it you can find something 'appropriate' to set the mood? Oh, and I almost forgot, I put a bottle of Prosecco in the fridge earlier."

Sheepishly expressing her gratitude, Patsy followed Trixie from the room.

The other two returned from their impromptu stroll around the garden, Delia looking a little perplexed as to why Barbara had felt the need to impart her vast knowledge of plants and wild flowers. Delia liked the garden well enough but she struggled to understand why she should need to know that a sunflower was in fact a Helianthus Annus or, worse still, a marigold a Tagetes Erecta, which, Delia thought, sounded downright rude.

"Calm down" hissed Trixie as Patsy fidgeted nervously; "you really need to try and relax". Delia looked across suspiciously but Trixie distracted her by jumping to her feet.

"Wine anyone?"

By 10pm, Trixie could allow Patsy to suffer no longer; she gave an exaggerated yawn and proceeded to drag Barbara from the room.

"Well that was subtle!" grinned Delia, moving across to sit beside Patsy on the sofa. She lay her hand on the redhead's thigh and kissed her longingly. "Are you tired too, Pats?" she murmured against her lips. Patsy smirked at her. "OK, let me rephrase that...do you want to go to bed?" Patsy bit her lip apprehensively but nodded. "Hey, I saw that, what's that look about?" Patsy shook her head.

"There's some fizz in the fridge" stuttered the redhead.

"Oh Cariad, how thoughtful. Let's take it up with us."

Patsy waited until Delia had gone into the bathroom before hurriedly changing into the most seductive underwear she could find; she then promptly pulled on her dressing gown, as heaven forbid Delia should actually see how sexy she looked. She set about lighting the candles, all the while cursing her trembling fingers. Whilst she was now considerably more at ease with Delia, the prospect of attempting to take the lead this evening was daunting to say the least. She switched the music on just as Delia emerged from the bathroom; Patsy saw the delight cross her face as she entered the softly lit bedroom.

"Pats, you old romantic!"

Patsy grinned, unable to disguise her relief at the positive reaction. "Less of the old, thanks" she scolded playfully.

"Let me open the Prosecco" offered Patsy quickly, jumping at the chance to occupy herself with a task that she actually felt confident in undertaking. She was showcasing a masterclass in uncorking the bottle when a pair of hands suddenly slunk around her waist from behind, catching her off guard and causing her concentration to lapse; the cork shot across the room and the sparkling wine fizzed over, running down her hands.

"Oh dear, look what you did" teased Delia, lifting Patsy's hand to her mouth and seductively licking her fingers. Patsy's stomach flipped at the sensation; Delia was such an incorrigible tease and had the ability to reduce the redhead to a quivering wreck so easily.

"Now then, what do we have under here?" continued Delia, with a look of pure mischief on her face as she reached for Patsy's dressing gown belt.

"Uh uh!" chided Patsy taking a step back; she was determined that she should stay in control tonight and, taking a calming breath, she looked the devilish Welsh woman directly in the eyes. "Delia," she said quietly but firmly. "Come here". She held her hand out and drew her across to the bed, pulling her close before reaching down and kissing her hungrily, her hands roaming the length of her back and over her perfect buttocks. Delia giggled, ever so slightly unnerved by the switch in roles.

"Pats.." she started but Patsy only had one goal in mind at that precise moment; her hands travelled back up Delia's upper body and located the zip of her dress, which she delighted in drawing downwards tantalisingly slowly as she continued to kiss her. She felt Delia tremble with anticipation and smiled to herself as she gave the dress a swift nudge and it slithered to the floor, pooling at Delia's feet. Patsy groaned as she took in the sight of Delia stood in the candlelight her perfectly smooth creamy skin disturbed only by fine white lace which left next to nothing to the imagination.

"You look impossibly gorgeous" she whispered. Delia smiled, her eyes shining. She reached once more for Patsy's belt but Patsy, again, denied her.

"Oh Pats, don't be mean..." she protested "...it is my birthday after all."

"Lie down on your stomach," commanded Patsy softly. Delia eyed her suspiciously but did as she was asked.

"What are you doing?" asked Delia, trying to steal a look over her shoulder.

"Ssshhhh," breathed Patsy. "Close your eyes and relax".

Delia felt her climb up behind her and settle astride her legs and released a moan of contentment at the touch of Patsy's thighs against her hips. Patsy's nerves were all but gone as she leant forward and placed a trail of kisses from Delia's shoulder across to the nape of her neck, causing the brunette to squirm as she became increasingly aroused.

Refocusing herself Patsy carefully unclipped Delia's bra and pushed the straps across, then dipping her fingers into the tub of lotion, she began to massage her shoulders. Delia groaned in ecstasy

"Oh God Pats, that's just amazing..." Patsy grinned; she was starting to enjoy herself.

"Slip this off" she coaxed, helping Delia, who quite frankly, needed no encouragement to be relieved of her bra. Patsy's heart was racing as she ran her hands over Delia's back and shoulders, teasing her by brushing her fingers ever so lightly across the sides of her breasts.

"Oh Patsy, I love feeling your hands on me" she gasped. "How are you so bloody good at this?" Patsy didn't answer; her breathing was becoming more and more ragged as her eyes were drawn to the delicate white lace which was the only thing remaining between her and an exquisitely naked Delia.

Patsy's hands began to shake as she traced the edge of the brunette's knickers; Delia was already panting and she whimpered helplessly as Patsy bent forwards and kissed her lower back and thighs.

"Pats..." squeaked Delia. The demons of her past were never far below the surface, however, and Patsy suddenly found herself completely gripped by fear and uncertainty;

"Deels" she whispered, begging for reassurance, but a strangled

"please..." was all that Delia could manage as Patsy proceeded with trembling hands to peel away the superfluous underwear. Patsy could barely breathe as her hands began to caress Delia's flawless bottom, her eyes drinking in every inch of perfect flesh.

"I want to kiss you all over" muttered Patsy breathlessly, her lips skimming the length of Delia's back before nuzzling into her neck nipping and licking at the sensitive skin.

Unable to resist any longer, Delia rolled on to her back and captured Patsy's lips, her determined hands wrenching undone the offending belt and pushing the redundant dressing gown away.

"That's so much better" she grinned admiring the matching black satin bra and panties which complemented Patsy's pale skin tone so perfectly. Patsy glanced down at Delia, her beautifully full breasts drawing her in whilst she gasped at the feeling of heat and dampness on her leg.

"You really are divine," she told her.

Delia's hands glided around Patsy's back and easily unclipped her bra. Patsy exhaled slowly and shrugged it away, as Delia pulled her snugly against her, her hands roaming greedily over her bare flesh and daring to venture lower. Delia knew that she was testing the limits of Patsy's courage but she also knew that they had developed an incredible bond of trust in the relatively short time that they had known each other. She was desperate to show the redhead that she had nothing to fear; to prove that the loving caress of another person could help to banish the dreadful childhood memories that still haunted her.

"Patsy" she whispered. "Do you feel safe?"

Patsy instinctively tightened her grip, "mmmm" she murmured.

"How brave do you feel Cariad?"

Patsy lifted her head and looked into Delia's eyes, shaking her head fearfully.

"Just you and me here darling, I'm not trying to frighten you...I just want to show you how strong you are. I promise you, I will not let go of you" Patsy held on for dear life as Delia stripped away the final barrier between them.

"No" croaked Patsy, her whole body shaking

"Sssshhhh" soothed Delia "I've got you, nobody can hurt you. Hold tight."

True to her word, Delia kept hold of Patsy - at first the redhead trembled, and then she sobbed, until finally she became calm. Delia didn't know how long it took nor did she care; she was determined to be there for her as Patsy worked her way through the onslaught of emotions.

"I'm so sorry" sniffed Patsy "this wasn't supposed to happen".

Delia lifted her head,

"Pats, stop that. I am so proud of you sweetheart. Lying here wrapped in nothing but you is the best birthday present I could have wished for." Delia shuffled down and pulled her into deep and passionate kiss, her hands traversing Patsy's back, pressing their bodies together. Patsy finally gave in releasing the pent up anxiety and allowing her desire to take control, clamping her legs around Delia and showering her with endless kisses.

"So, remind me why you think you need to apologise," murmured Delia with a grin.


	13. Ch 13 - Seeking the courage to heal

Delia woke first the following morning; she opened her eyes and her gaze fell upon a dishevelled Patsy; laid on her stomach, her hair splayed across the pillow and her legs tangled up in the bedclothes which only covered her as far as her waist. The redhead looked completely relaxed and Delia smiled to herself. Whilst she didn't yet know the full details of the dreadful experience that Patsy had endured as a child, she had seen first hand the devastating effect that it had had on the young woman and she felt hugely privileged to have won her trust. She had been well aware that, as she had lovingly stripped away her clothing last night, she had bared far more than just flesh. Despite her best efforts to portray a composed, self-assured demeanour, Delia knew that Patsy's confidence and self belief was so unbelievably fragile that allowing anyone to get that close to her had represented a huge accomplishment.

Delia was still watching over her when Patsy stirred. She blinked sleepily, trying to focus on the brunette, before becoming acutely aware of her state of undress. Her hands groped desperately for the bedclothes, clearly anxious to hide herself but despite her frantic tugs, the tangled blankets did little to cover her. Delia took pity on her and reaching for her dressing gown, she placed it over her.

"It's alright, you're fine," she told her gently.

Patsy shook her head in embarrassment. "I'm just cold," she lied

It wasn't remotely cold, in fact quite the contrary. Delia, however, chose not to challenge her, preferring to snuggle in against her.

"Me too Cariad." Delia trailed her fingers lightly over Patsy's wrist. "You were amazing last night Pats," she told her

Patsy shook her head, looking away, feeling painfully self-conscious in the cold light of day.

"Pats!" whispered Delia, reaching over and forcing her to look at her, "Trust me, you were wonderful."

"Hardly! I burst into tears and we didn't have sex," muttered Patsy despondently. Delia laughed incredulously.

"The way I remember it, you overcame some colossal hurdles, challenges that I can't even imagine, and made me feel incredible." She leant closer so that their faces were almost touching and lowered her voice. "I won't deny that I am looking forward to making love to you, but there's plenty of time. Pats, I am not going to rush you darling, I want you to feel ready."

"And what if I never am?" whispered Patsy "I feel as if it will never go away."

Delia kissed her lightly on the nose.

"Pats, you are so much stronger than you realise. You have only known me for a couple of weeks but you have let me get so close to you. Try not to worry about it; let's just enjoy being together."

Once dressed they made their way down to the kitchen where Trixie was arguing with Barbara.

"Trixie, you're not well. You need to go back to bed."

Barbara spun round as the other two entered.

"Oh, thank goodness. You tell her, she won't listen to me!"

Trixie, not to put too fine a point on it, looked like death warmed up. Her eyes were bright and glassy, with heavy red rims, her cheeks pallid and she was sporting a truly delightful sounding cough.

"I'm fine" she rasped, her shoulders shaking as she shivered feverishly.

Patsy frowned,

"Trixie" she said gently "You have a temperature; you look awful...and you sound even worse," she finished, as Trixie surrendered to yet another coughing fit.

"I'm going to tell them to call a doctor," announced Barbara.

"Don't you bloody dare!" wheezed Trixie. "I am not having Jenny think that I am wimping out..."

Delia intervened.

"Trixie...listen babe, take some aspirin, go back to bed for an hour and see how you feel. Leave Jenny to us."

Whether it was the no nonsense tone beneath the soft Welsh accent, or whether she truly just felt too lousy to argue, Trixie conceded and went back upstairs.

Jenny Lee was sat waiting for them as they trooped downstairs. As always, she was impeccably groomed in a dark pencil skirt, crisp white shirt and black stilettos; not a single hair was out of place and her pristine make up was finished with striking crimson lipstick. Despite her friendly smile and empathetic approach, the truth was that the three women were completely intimidated by her.

Approaching the room, all three hesitated, not wanting to be the first to enter.

"After you" said Patsy in a low voice, gesturing to Barbara, who promptly took a pace backwards and trod on Patsy's toe.

"Ow!"

The pitiful stalemate continued until Patsy resolved the situation by giving Delia a gentle but firm shove through the door.

"Morning," said Jenny brightly as they slunk into their respective chairs. "Ah, no Trixie?"

"She's not well" piped up Barbara, her tone uncannily akin to that of a nervous school girl addressing a particularly fearsome teacher.

"Hope she's got a note," muttered Delia under her breath as Patsy kicked her.

Jenny pretended not to hear. She frowned,

"Oh dear, what a shame. That does impact on the plan for this morning somewhat."

"We could postpone?" suggested Delia.

Jenny laughed, "No I don't think so." She thought for a few moments surveying her reluctant audience. "Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to discuss some of the concerns that each of you has. How about you, Patsy?"

Patsy recoiled in her chair, her eyes widening in horror;

"My concerns?" she said with a feeble laugh. "I don't think I have any really."

She knew, as the words left her mouth, that it was a pathetic attempt, and so did everyone else in the room. Jenny smiled knowingly before proceeding.

"Why don't you tell us why you decided to come here; after all, unlike the others, you weren't directly involved in the recent events."

Patsy glared at Jenny.

"My dad wanted me to come" she said with a sharp tone of finality.

Jenny noted the hostility in the redhead's voice but continued just the same.

"But ultimately the decision was yours. I know that it took you quite some time to agree to this; something must have prompted you."

Patsy stared at Jenny, a mutinous expression on her face; she did not want to get into this. Jenny waited, holding her gaze. The tension between the two women was intensely uncomfortable; neither Barbara nor Delia dared move or make a sound.

"I know that you are still affected by events from your childhood; we discussed that when you and I spoke previously." she commented.

"I don't want to talk about that." hissed Patsy through gritted teeth.

"And why is that?" asked Jenny calmly. "You're amongst friends."

Patsy looked incredulously at her.

"You know why." Her voice cracked as she spoke. "I'm not doing this" she muttered, getting up as if to leave.

"Sit down please," said Jenny smoothly. Patsy glowered at her, ready to argue but something about the look on Jenny's face made her falter. She reluctantly slumped back into her chair, staring at the floor

"I think you've figured out by now that know that running away from the things that frighten you won't make them go away."

Silence.

"You have been struggling with this for 15 years; don't you think it's time to let yourself start to heal?"

"How can I trust people when I know what they are capable of?" snapped Patsy angrily.

Jenny's face revealed nothing of the relief that she felt at having finally reached this point; her unshakably calm demeanour prevailed.

"You were so very young when your faith in people was broken, but that doesn't mean that you can't learn to trust again"

"I was only 13; I didn't know adults could hurt children like that" croaked Patsy.

Jenny nodded.

"But you're not a child now and you have a real opportunity to take back the control. What other people do, be it good or bad, is out of your hands. You are only responsible for your own actions, the way you respond to others. Don't let your past determine your future, Patsy. You can decide what it is that you want going forwards."

"I don't want to feel scared any more," whispered Patsy as a solitary tear trickled down her cheek. She felt someone reach for her hand and peering up, she saw Delia, her eyes flooded with tears, her face brimming with concern and compassion.

Jenny smiled,

"I think you just took the first step towards that."

The remainder of the session was a blur to Patsy; she could hear the others speaking but she felt completely detached. When the discussion finally came to an end and the other two got up to leave, she didn't move.

"Pats," coaxed Delia, who had not relinquished her hold of her hand for the duration. "Come on Cariad, let's go and have a cuppa."

Patsy allowed Delia to pull her to her feet and lead her from the room. She stumbled down the corridor, her legs feeling like lead. Suddenly she stopped, a stricken expression flashing across her face.

"Pats?"

"I think I'm going to be sick," she gasped and Delia quickly diverted her into the nearby bathroom.

Barbara and Delia waited outside, both pale faced and anxious.

"I had no idea" whispered Barbara. Delia sighed.

"The worst bit is; there was nobody there to really support her afterwards. Her mother was dead and her father couldn't deal with it and effectively abandoned her to an aunt. I'm going to take care of her Barbara; I promise you, I am going to be there from now on. She will never feel alone and unloved again."


	14. Some days are just too hard

Patsy emerged from the bathroom looking paler and more defeated than ever.

"Sorry," she croaked.

Delia put her arm around her but Patsy felt stiff and unresponsive and, once they reached the first floor landing, rather than allowing Delia to guide her into the kitchen, she pulled away and continued up the stairs to the second floor.

"Pats?"

"Give her a minute," whispered Barbara, pulling Delia through to the kitchen.

Alone in her bedroom, Patsy lay down on her bed; she didn't cry, she felt completely numb. She recognised this feeling; it was happening again. 25th July. That bloody date was her nemesis. Every. Single. Year. No matter how many times Patsy tried to tell herself that it was just another day and to convince herself that it held no significance any more, the truth was that she could not erase the memories of that day, 15 years previously, when, as a 13 year old, her innocence had been snatched away. The marks on her body had long since faded but the mental scars were as raw now as they had been back when they were so cruelly etched into her terrified young mind.

When Jenny had decided to raise Patsy's concerns that morning, she had been completely oblivious to the impending date and its significance for the anguished redhead. But broaching Patsy's most deep seated fears had effectively lit the fuse and set in motion Patsy's annual nose-dive into a pit of all-consuming emotions from which she was helpless to restore herself. In years past, Patsy had tried a number of ways to block out the memories; latterly, alcohol had featured high on the list of chosen distractions, although, more often than not, this had simply induced a heightened emotional state, rather than actually helping her to achieve any real semblance of escapism. No matter what she tried, however, she never managed to push it from her mind for more than a few seconds at a time. This time she just longed to shut her eyes and sleep until the fateful date was gone for another year. She knew that Delia was desperate to offer support, she could hear her hovering anxiously outside the bedroom door, but Patsy didn't know how to let her help; this was a storm that she had always weathered alone.

Delia finally crossed the threshold when it was time to fetch Patsy for dinner. Hearing the approaching footsteps, Patsy rolled over towards the wall and shut her eyes, pretending to still be asleep.

"Pats?" said Delia softly, going across and sitting beside her on the bed. "Dinner's ready, darling." She lay her hand on Patsy's shoulder and was taken aback when Patsy flinched and shrugged her off.

"I'm not hungry!" she snapped irately.

"Patsy!" Delia's tone was firm and authoritative, despite her dismay at the reaction she had received.

"Fine!" exclaimed Patsy. She flipped over and pushed past the stunned Delia as she got up and marched towards the door.

After dinner, or, in Patsy's case, after having silently pushed a portion of food mindlessly around her plate for 20 minutes, the girls followed their usual routine and retired to the living room. Trixie had managed to drag her sickly self downstairs for a while. She was already looking considerably brighter, albeit, Barbara feared that her hacking cough was going to prevent either of them from achieving a decent night's sleep. Patsy was distant; she sat apart from the others, nursing a glass of water, staring vacantly out of the window at the rain and refused to enter into the conversation. Every now and then she would disappear back into the kitchen to top up her water but, despite their best efforts, the girls simply could not persuade her to engage with them.

"Where are you going babe?" asked Delia anxiously, as Patsy got up to leave the room for the fourth time.

"Toilet," muttered Patsy irritably, slamming the door behind her, leaving the other three looking at each other in confused concern.

"Do you think we should call someone?" whispered Barbara tentatively.

Trixie and Delia both shook their heads.

"She'll calm down, she'll probably be back in a minute." Delia told her with considerably more certainty than she felt.

The minutes ticked by but Patsy did not reappear.

"Do you think she has gone to bed?" suggested the ever anxious Barbara. "She's had a pretty tough day, so maybe she just wants to sleep?"

Delia looked dubiously at her.

"I reckon that she just wants some time to herself," observed Trixie, heading for the kitchen to make herself yet another mug of hot lemon and honey.

She burst back in moments later, her eyes wide. She grabbed for Patsy's discarded glass and sniffed.

"Vodka!"

"What?" gasped Delia "I thought that she was drinking water. Are you sure?"

Trixie rolled her eyes. "I think I know what Vodka smells like. Here! Smell for yourself...neat vodka. I just went in to boil the kettle and I saw the bottle on the side. No wonder she's acting so oddly."

"Shit! I'm going to check on her then; she didn't eat anything at dinner so neat vodka is going to hit her hard."

Delia ran up the stairs and quietly crept into the bedroom, expecting to find Patsy asleep. The room was empty. She frowned and checked the ensuite. Again, empty. Delia felt uneasy and hurried back down to the the first floor.

"Out cold is she?" grinned Trixie, grabbing for another tissue as she sneezed for what felt like the hundredth time. "Oh for heaven's sake!"

Delia shook her head.

"She's not there. I can't find her."

Barbara stood up.

"Are you sure?"

"I've checked both bedrooms and the kitchen. She must be downstairs."

The ground floor seemed eerily deserted as Barbara and Delia descended the stairs. It was approaching 9pm and Louise had long since retired to her quarters.

"I don't think she's down here," whispered Barbara.

"Neither do I...umm, why are we whispering?" giggled Delia nervously.

They checked the meeting rooms and swiftly established that Patsy was not there.

"She's outside then?" shrugged Barbara "Surely not, it's pouring down out there."

Delia wrinkled her nose,

"I know where she might be."

She pulled on a coat and some shoes and dashed through the rain, along the path to the summer house.

"Pats?" she called, gratefully ducking inside the small wooden hut, out of the rain; again she was disappointed. "Where the hell are you?" she sighed to herself, her anxiety rising with every minute that passed. She ran back to the house where Barbara was waiting expectantly. Delia shook her head, beginning to panic.

They returned to the first floor where Trixie eyed their worried faces in concern.

"Have you still not found her?"

Barbara shook her head.

"She's nowhere in the house and Deels has checked the summer house too. Surely she wouldn't have gone down to the beach? Not in this weather? Plus it's starting to get dark out there now. We need to call someone."

Delia bit her lip

"She was really upset, I shouldn't have left her by herself."

Trixie quickly interjected, "You can stop that right now. Come on, let's get sorted and go out and search...she can't have gone far."

Delia shook her head.

"Not you Trix, you need to stay inside. Barbara and I will go."

The rain had eased considerably by the time they headed out but with the paths wet and slippery, coupled with the diminishing daylight, it was neither a pleasant nor an easy task. They searched the gardens, calling her name but got no response. Delia fetched a fob and they made their way through the gate and down to the beach; however, it was almost immediately evident that the small cove was deserted, so back up the steps they trudged.

"If she's not back inside, we're going to have to call someone." insisted Barbara more forcefully, and this time Delia agreed; it was gone 10pm and darkness was now shrouding the garden.

Delia picked up the internal phone and dialled.

"Oh, hi Louise, I'm so sorry to bother you but would it be possible for you to pop back to the house, please. We are a bit concerned about Patsy, we, err, well, we can't find her."

Within minutes Louise appeared in the kitchen and the girls explained. Louise nodded, her face displaying genuine concern. She took out her mobile phone, first dialling the security lodge, and then another number asking for further help. The girls looked at each other anxiously.

"Ladies, I need you to stay here, please. If Patsy comes back then call me straight away on this number."

She scribbled her number on a piece of paper and placed it next to the telephone, then hurried out.

Louise rapidly coordinated a search of the grounds which was made all the more difficult by the fact that the last traces of daylight had now faded. Armed with torches, Louise, Fred and Tom split up and scoured the gardens and driveway, all calling Patsy's name whilst back in the house, Delia paced the kitchen, unable to mask her panic.

"We should be out there looking too." she repeated over and over. "What if she's hurt?"

"Delia, sit down!" commanded Trixie "You're making me dizzy."

It took a good half an hour but finally Tom came across a forlorn looking figure, crouched under the trees, close to the perimeter fence. Shining his torch at her, it appeared to him that Patsy was hurt and he immediately shouted for the others. He approached her carefully, uncertain as to whether or not she was conscious.

"Patsy?" he said gently, not wanting to startle her. "Can you hear me?"

Patsy lifted her head and groaned.

"It's ok, you're going to be fine" he assured her, climbing over some broken branches to reach her.

He bent down, taking care not to shine his torch in her face.

"Where are you hurt Patsy?" he asked, taking off his jacket and placing it over her to try and warm the shivering young woman. Patsy cowered fearfully from him.

"Patsy, my name is Tom. I work in the lodge; don't be frightened. I won't hurt you." he told her gently, praying silently that Louise would reach them soon.

Louise duly arrived and crouched beside Patsy, noting the grazes on her arms and hands.

"What on earth are you doing out here?" she chided gently. "Oh my dear, you are soaking wet. Do you think you can stand?"

"Let me help you," offered Tom but Patsy screamed in terror, pushing him away.

Tom looked to Louise for guidance but the older woman was back on her phone; she wasn't going to take any chances in this situation.

"Shelagh, it's Louise. Sorry to call you so late but can you come..."

She had clearly needed to give no explanation for the request and quickly hung up and turned her attention back to the unhappy scene before her.

Patsy would allow neither Tom nor Fred to go anywhere near her, screaming and lashing out at them every time they tried to offer assistance, but Louise did succeed in talking her into holding her arm so that she could guide her up the driveway. Whether it was her cold, sodden state, the excess of alcohol that she had consumed, or a combination of the both, Patsy's coordination was seriously compromised and she stumbled numerous times, heavily reliant on Louise to prevent her from falling.

Once at the house, Louise thanked Tom and Fred, who was still limping having earlier received a decisive kick to the knee from the frightened and disorientated Patsy, then bade them goodnight. She proceeded to usher the shivering redhead into her office and wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.

"Sit down for me" she coaxed.

In the light of the office Louise was better able to assess the state of her charge. Patsy was a truly pitiful sight; wet through, covered in mud and her hands and arms revealed a mosaic of fresh grazes. She noted a lump on Patsy's forehead and frowned.

"Did you bump your head?"

Patsy shrugged, refusing to answer; Louise shook her head in frustration.

"Patsy, this is important." she reprimanded "If you were knocked out, then I need to know."

From the kitchen, the others had heard the commotion as Louise had brought Patsy inside and all three had crept down to sit near the bottom of the stairs, desperate to try and overhear anything that might help them to comprehend what on earth was going on. They heard the front door open again and, from their concealed position, heard the familiar Scottish accent that signified that Shelagh had arrived. It very quickly became evident that Patsy was less than delighted to see her and, despite the closed door, Trixie, Delia and Barbara could hear the heated exchange that followed.

"Get away from me," screamed Patsy, as Shelagh approached her.

"Patsy, do calm down, Shelagh just needs to check that you are alright," Louise reassured her.

"Noooooo!" shrieked Patsy, clearly not in the least placated. "Don't touch me!"

"I won't hurt you," coaxed Shelagh, but Patsy was not to be persuaded.

"Leave me alone," she shrieked.

Patsy's distress was so profound that, standing helplessly outside, Delia and Barbara both started to cry. They heard the scraping of a chair and a loud crash before the door flew open and Patsy stumbled out into the hallway.

"Patsy, please" implored Louise desperately. "Whatever it is, we can talk about it? Nobody is going to hurt you. Come back in and sit down."

"You're not touching me" cried Patsy backing against the wall, her hands out to fend off Louise who looked unusually rattled. "Please leave me alone! Please."

Shelagh tried again.

"Will you at least come back in and have a cup of tea with us?" she ventured.

Patsy shook her head, shivering violently

"You're going to make yourself ill if you stand around in those wet clothes much longer...will you let me clean the cuts on your arms for you?" prompted Shelagh.

Patsy closed her eyes and dropped her head, looking utterly exhausted.

"Please," she begged, "I just want Delia."


	15. Hold on tight

"I just want Delia," pleaded Patsy.

Hearing those four desperate words, Delia, her cheeks still wet with tears, snapped herself out of her tormented silence. Louise and Shelagh looked slightly stunned as the brunette appeared, apparently out of nowhere, and flew to Patsy's side, throwing her arms around her.

"I'm here, Cariad. I've got you, it's OK."

Having thus far been unaware of the close bond between the two young women, Louise and Shelagh watched in amazement as, without so much as a moment's hesitation, Patsy latched onto Delia, her trembling fingers gripping her tightly as she buried her face in her shoulder.

"I need you," she whimpered weakly.

"It's alright sweetheart, I'm right here," Delia assured her, kissing her damp hair. "Tell me what happened Pats?" she pleaded.

Patsy shook her head dejectedly.

"I thought I would be able to handle it this year," she shivered, "but I felt like I was trapped, and I couldn't stop myself; I needed to run."

Delia felt her blood run cold and a wave of nausea swept over her.

"It's the anniversary isn't it?" she said slowly. "Why didn't you tell me? Pats, I could have helped you."

Patsy didn't answer, she simply clung to her even more tightly. How she wished that she, herself, knew the answer to that question.

For several minutes the only sounds were Delia's whispered reassurances, as she held the shivering Patsy in her arms. Finally, Delia glanced back at Louise, who passed her the blanket and smiled sadly, signalling to her to try and bring Patsy back into her office.

"Pats," whispered Delia gently, "Come on, let's go back in and sit down."

Patsy, however, had no intention of moving; she dug her heels in, her knuckles blanched, so tight was her grip on Delia.

"I'm not going to leave you my sweetheart; trust me, I am not letting you out of my sight from now on. Let's go in together."

She started to move and Patsy appeared to conclude that, on balance, re-entering the office with Delia was preferable to remaining outside without her and allowed her to propel her forwards.

Once back inside the room, however, trying to persuade Patsy to sit in a chair proved to be yet another challenge. She flatly refused to relinquish her hold on Delia and, having exhausted all other options, the only solution remaining seemed to be for Delia to perch on the arm of the chair, thus allowing Patsy to stay cuddled up against her. Shelagh knelt on the floor in front of her and tentatively reached for her hand. Patsy immediately shied away but Delia tucked Patsy's head under her chin, and reaching down, she gently eased her arm forwards.

"Let her see, sweetheart," she coaxed.

Shelagh smiled gratefully at Delia and set about cleaning the wounds, carefully removing fragments of gravel and splinters of wood.

"How did you hurt your hands?" probed Sheila. Patsy shut her eyes.

"I tried to climb over the fence," she muttered.

"What?" exclaimed Louise in horror, her customary calm facade slipping momentarily.

"I needed to get away from here!" Patsy shouted back.

"Sssshhhh, it's OK, don't shout," Delia soothed, kissing the top of her head.

"...but I fell," admitted Patsy despondently. Shelagh eyed the egg-shaped lump on her forehead in concern.

"Patsy, when you fell, did you lose consciousness at all?"

Patsy refused to look at her.

"I can't remember," she muttered noncommittally.

Having satisfied themselves that Patsy was battered but, in reality, more muddy than actually injured, the majority of her cuts being relatively superficial, Louise and Shelagh were anxious that she get changed out of her wet clothes. Louise contemplated the situation with a frown.

"Delia, do you think you could take Patsy upstairs now and help her to get changed into some dry clothes? Ordinarily I or Shelagh would assist her but I think that it's fairly clear that she is considerably more at ease with you. I think she might benefit from a bath too, but I do need to ask that you stay with her, as we can't be sure whether or not she was knocked out when she fell earlier."

Delia nodded her agreement and lovingly stroked Patsy's hair;

"We'll be fine, won't we Pats? Come on darling, let's get you upstairs."

Barbara and Trixie were still sat on the stairs and, as Delia attempted to guide Patsy back up to her bedroom, they both got up and followed quietly behind.

"I'll make some tea for her?" offered Barbara, anxious to find something useful to do. Delia nodded gratefully.

"Call me if you need a hand," called Trixie, as Delia towed Patsy into their room.

Delia ushered Patsy straight into the bathroom, sitting her on the the toilet seat whilst she leant over and began running the bath taps. Glancing over her shoulder, she bit her lip anxiously observing the broken look on Patsy's pale face. She braced herself as she stood back up and returned to Patsy, instinctively adopting a motherly approach.

"Come on then Cariad, you will feel so much better once you get warm."

Prising away the blanket, Delia hesitated momentarily, but judging from Patsy's lost and distant expression, the redhead was obviously not in any place to help herself, so Delia continued. She knelt in front of her and silently removed her mud-coated pumps then reached forwards and undid the fastening on her shorts.

"Stand up for me, babe."

Patsy put her hands on Delia's shoulders and, obediently, if rather unsteadily, pulled herself to her feet.

"Good girl," she smiled, slipping the shorts down and easing Patsy back into a sitting position. "Your poor legs," sighed Delia sadly, carefully stroking Patsy's bruised thighs.

"That bloody fence is evil," grumbled Patsy miserably.

Delia permitted herself a wry smile.

"Sweetheart, I think that's the general idea. I, for one, am very grateful that it's doing its job!" She paused, looking deep into Patsy's eyes. "Pats, please don't ever do that again," she said quietly.

Patsy's face revealed a flicker of guilt, as the realisation dawned on her that her actions, intentional or not, had really frightened poor Delia.

"I'm sorry," she whispered remorsefully.

"Where would you have gone anyway?"

Patsy shrugged.

"I honestly don't know; it's not like I planned it...I try and try and try to keep a lid on it, but every year it just gets too much and I can't stop myself from running."

Delia sighed, stood up and grasping the bottom of Patsy's t shirt, she hoisted it cleanly over her head.

"Well you don't need to run anymore." she told her decisively. "I'm here to stay and I will take care of you, ok? When it feels like it is getting too much, talk to me. Promise?"

Patsy shivered self consciously and reached for the comforting security of Delia's arms. The brunette didn't miss a beat, pulling her snugly against her.

"Promise me Patsy...you really scared me tonight."

"I will try, I really will," whispered Patsy, closing her eyes so that she could shut out all else but the reassuring sensation of being wrapped in the safety of Delia's embrace.

Barbara tapped the door,

"I've got your tea, can I come in?" she called.

Delia responded in the affirmative and a smile of relief crossed Barbara's face as she entered and saw the two locked together. She placed the mug down and left without a word.

"Come on, you're freezing, let's get you into the bath," encouraged Delia.

"I can manage," murmured Patsy.

"OK," smiled Delia, sitting back and waiting expectantly. Patsy didn't move.

"You can go.." she said quietly

Delia laughed.

"I'm not going anywhere, Pats. Louise gave me strict instructions to stay with you..and that, my darling, is what I am doing."

"But there's no need," argued Patsy, "I'm fine."

Delia shook her head.

"Not leaving," she repeated emphatically.

Patsy stared at her uneasily.

"Perhaps I'll skip the bath and just have a cup of tea; that'll warm me up." she suggested feebly.

Delia raised her eyebrows, struggling to mask her amusement.

"You're covered in mud, Cariad; no arguments, you are getting in that bath."

Patsy shook her head defiantly causing Delia to roll her eyes in exasperation.

"Do we really need to go through this?" she sighed, "Pats, this is all highly endearing, but may I remind you who you're talking to? You have nothing to hide from me, I have seen every inch of you my darling; Christ, I have kissed most of you... Besides, if you don't want me in here, then I'll have to fetch Louise or Shelagh."

"Don't you dare!" cried Patsy in horror.

"Fine! Good choice," grinned Delia, deciding that humouring the agitated redhead would likely be the best way forward at this juncture. "Now are you going to do this or am I?"

Despite her protestations, Patsy was clearly still quite wobbly on her feet and, determined not to allow her to cause herself any further injury, Delia insisted on taking her arm as she climbed into the bath. Patsy gasped in pain as the water came into contact with the fresh grazes on her arms and hands.

"I know it stings but soaking them will do them good," Delia assured her, perching on the edge of the bath and passing Patsy her cup of tea. She picked up a flannel and dunking it in the bath, she squeezed out the excess water and lifted it to Patsy's face.

"I know mud is meant to be good for the skin but I honestly don't know how you managed to get quite so much of it on your face," she teased, gently dabbing her cheeks, being careful to avoid the swelling on her forehead. "There! That's a bit better. You weren't coming into my bed in that state," she winked.

Patsy yawned wearily, prompting Delia to glance at the clock; it was almost 1am. No wonder they both felt so exhausted. She grabbed Patsy's towel from the rail and held it out for her. Patsy scrambled gratefully from the bath, pulling the towel tightly around her and sank back down onto the toilet seat, watching as Delia brushed her teeth.

"Oh darling, you look absolutely shattered," she told her sympathetically as she handed her her own toothbrush. "Let me just check that Louise isn't waiting to speak to me, then we can get to bed. I'll be back in just a tick."

Patsy heard Delia re-enter the room and, hovering in the bathroom doorway, she watched her undress. Patsy crossed to her own bed and picked up her pyjamas but, as she did so, a familiar pair of arms snaked around her waist, pulled them from her hands and tossed them aside.

"No barriers, Pats," whispered Delia, "not tonight."

Patsy gulped uncertainly but Delia was absolutely determined. She took her hand and led her across to her bed, lifted the duvet and climbed in, before releasing Patsy's towel and pulling her into bed alongside her.


	16. Truth or Dare

As she stirred the following morning, Patsy instantly realised that she felt different; she couldn't really put her finger on what had changed, but she knew for sure that it was a good different. She felt lighter somehow, as if the most burdensome load had been lifted from both her shoulders and her mind. For the first time in 15 years, 25 July dawned without the oppressive, unshakable feeling of dread that she had come to expect and fear.

Perhaps the warm protective arm that was draped around her waist had something to do with it. Delia had not released her hold all night, and Patsy felt truly cherished. When she did open her eyes, she found the brunette cuddled up next to her, mere inches between their faces.

"How are you feeling?" whispered Delia

"I think I feel ok," replied Patsy slowly, a hint of disbelief in her voice, "...thanks to you."

Delia smiled.

"I meant what I said last night, you know. I'm in this for the long haul."

Patsy looked dubious.

"Are you sure? I mean, I'm pretty hard work."

Delia laughed,

"Well, as it happens, I like a challenge! Especially when there is such a wonderful reward..." Her eyes glinted with desire as she traced her fingers lightly along Patsy's naked torso, before leaning in to kiss her indulgently.

Patsy's knew that she would have to face a raft of concerned questions that morning; it was inevitable after such a troubling night. Her memories were fuzzy but the vague recollections that she did have were enough to alert her to the fact that she was probably going to owe quite a few people an explanation, if not an apology. It, therefore, came as no surprise to her when Louise appeared almost as soon as the girls had sat down to breakfast and asked her to come down and see her once she was done.

Louise was the epitome of calm and serenity, revealing no trace of the previous evening's unexpected and testing events. She smiled kindly at Patsy as she entered the office and offered her tea.

"I'm so sorry about last night," gabbled Patsy instantly, the words tumbling out far too quickly.

It rapidly became clear, however, that Louise had not summoned Patsy for any kind of dressing down, and that her principle concern was, in fact, to reassure herself that the young woman before her was no longer in such dreadful distress.

"Patsy, please, there is nothing to apologise for, my dear. In fact, if anyone needs to be sorry, then perhaps it should be us for not having been ready to support you through such a difficult time."

Patsy looked momentarily stunned, unable to fathom why Louise was being so unbelievably kind to her. She sighed.

"You couldn't have known," she conceded, then bit her lip, her face creasing into a frown and her cheeks flushing as a memory crystallised in her mind. "Oh god!" she groaned "...I kicked someone, didn't I?"

Louise smiled at her look of genuine remorse.

"I am quite sure that Fred will forgive you. He's dealt with significantly more tricky customers than you in his time. Patsy closed her eyes, trying in vain to block out the mortifying memory.

"Still, I want to say sorry," she sighed, "I feel awful, I 'm sure that he was only trying to help."

Louise was keen to prevent Patsy from dwelling on this, and swiftly changed the subject.

"I am pleased to see that your forehead looks considerably less swollen this morning. You will, of course, appreciate that our fence is not really intended for climbing."

Patsy smiled sheepishly, glancing at her grazed arms and hands.

"Yes, I did figure that out...eventually.

"You have a very good friend in Delia," commented Louise.

At the mention of Delia's name, Patsy could not prevent herself from breaking into a wide smile.

"She is wonderful," she enthused, "She has made everything so much easier for me to cope with. I would be lost without her."

"That's lovely to hear, but Patsy, please don't underestimate your own strength. You need to give yourself some of the credit too."

Patsy contemplated the wise woman's words in silence; she wasn't sure that she could see what Louise claimed to see. To her mind, Delia had brought her a steadfast security; she had restored Patsy's ability to see the good in people, given her a reason to love and to trust. As far as Patsy was concerned, Delia was her rock, her saviour even.

Trixie gathered them all in the lounge; the rain of the previous evening had returned with a vengeance and the girls, particularly the vivacious blonde felt trapped and restless. Patsy, Barbara and Delia eyed her curiously as they took in the set-up. Paper, pens, glasses and wine.

"I'm sorry but are we planning to write our memoirs?" enquired Delia sarcastically. "Because, if so, I will require a hell of a lot more wine than that!"

Trixie threw her a look of disdain.

"No, we are going to have some fun!" she said emphatically, uncorking the wine, and filling four glasses. "We're going to play Truth or Dare!"

"You what? How old are we?" snorted Patsy.

Trixie chose to ignore this comment and began dishing out the wine and bossily issuing the instructions.

"Write down your questions and dares, fold each piece of paper and put the questions in here and the dares in this one...and make them good!"

"Yes ma'am!" saluted Delia, eliciting a stern look from the blonde.

20 minutes later, the second bottle of wine was open, both bowls were full of folded pieces of paper and Trixie was rubbing her hands together in glee. She produced what appeared to be a homemade dice, which had each of their names written on it.

"Dear Lord Trixie, how much time have you invested in this exactly?" ribbed Patsy.

Trixie tossed her hair back loftily.

"It may have escaped your notice, but it has been raining solidly for the past 2 hours...I had some time on my hands."

"...and we truly are grateful that you put it to such good use," smirked Delia.

The game got underway and it quickly became apparent who had submitted which questions. Patsy was first up and held her breath as Trixie read out her first question:

"Which three celebrities, alive or dead, would you invite to a dinner party?"

Patsy could not help but flash Barbara a look of unreserved gratitude; only the timid, sweet-natured brunette would have come up with such an innocuous question at a time like this.

"Truth!" she grinned, then paused to think.

"Ummm, well, first of all, I think I would invite Nelson Mandela; I mean, he would have so many amazing stories to tell; next would have to be JK Rowling because let's face it, the woman is a smart, witty, super-talented genius, and, finally, Miranda Hart, because you could rely on her to burst into song or drop her dinner in her lap if the conversation wasn't flowing!"

All three girls nodded in approval.

"Trixie!" squealed Delia in delight, pushing the bowl of questions towards her.

Trixie selected one and handed it to Delia who opened it with a broad grin.

"Ooooh, celebs again. Give us your snog, shag, marry choices."

Trixie giggled mischievously.

"Easy!" she cried, then, without pausing to draw breath, she rattled off, "Snog - Chris Hemsworth, Shag - David Beckham, Marry - Prince Harry, of course."

"Oh Trix, you REALLY had to think hard about that, didn't you?" teased Delia.

Trixie laughed,

"Let's just say that, since being in here, I have had plenty of time to think about it!"

Barbara looked mortified as the roll of the dice put her in the spotlight. She reluctantly took a question and passed it to Patsy.

"Ok, if you had to kiss one of the three of us, who would you pick?"

In a matter of seconds, Barbara's face turned scarlet. Patsy looked disparagingly at Trixie.

"That has to be one of yours!" she wagered.

"Look, it's not meant to be easy," said Trixie defensively, "that's the whole point of the game."

Barbara's discomfort was positively palpable, the expression on her face screaming her desire to get the hell out of there.

"Dare" she muttered in a barely audible voice; Trixie groaned in disappointment. Barbara forced herself to take a second slip of paper. She opened it slowly and gave a resigned smile.

"Sing the chorus to an ABBA song of your choice."

Trixie, Patsy and Delia clapped and whooped enthusiastically as Barbara dragged herself to her feet and gave a hesitant and half-hearted rendition of Mamma Mia, before diving back to her seat, her face flushed with embarrassment and relief.

A further roll of the dice selected the, hitherto, evasive Delia.

"Uh oh," she giggled nervously, reaching for a slip of paper which she handed to Barbara to read.

"Have you ever been to a strip club?"

Delia chuckled.

"Hell, yes! Very first time I went to London. Horrible place, dark and seedy but, at the time, I was convinced that I was the ultimate cool rebel! It was teeming with middle aged men and, if I recall correctly, no fewer than four of them tried to order a drink from me!"

By now the third bottle of wine was well underway and the sound of tipsy laughter echoed through the first floor of the house.

"You again Pats!" shrieked Delia.

"How old were you when you had your very first kiss?"

Patsy hesitated; there was no way she was going to tell the truth - she would be a laughing stock for sure. She fixed a sly expression on her face and smoothly replied, "Dare!"

Tentatively opening the second slip of paper, she sighed, placed it aside and picking up her glass, she downed her wine in one!

"Shit Pats!" laughed Delia, reaching out to pat her arm as the redhead's eyes glazed over.

"What?" exclaimed Delia in disbelief as, once again, the spotlight fell on her. "This dice must be rigged!" She took a question and handed it to Trixie.

"How many people have you slept with?"

Delia didn't even need to look at Patsy to gauge her reaction to this question. She knew full well that this was neither the time nor the place to discuss such things and, game or no game, her sensitivity to Patsy's feelings was paramount.

"Dare!" she said firmly.

She took a second piece of paper and glanced down at it, an ironic smile gracing her face.

"Well?" demanded Trixie.

Delia shrugged nonchalantly then scooted across to Patsy, smiling tenderly at her before reaching up to cup her face in her hands and leaning in to kiss her. This was no peck on the lips, this was a full on demonstration of unguarded passion. Barbara's eyes widened in shock, whilst Trixie snatched for the discarded slip of paper.

'Kiss the person to your right,' it read.

Entering their bedroom, a short while later, both Patsy and Delia were weak with laughter; they had certainly played Trixie at her own game. The recently devoured alcohol rendered Patsy less subservient to her usual self restraint and, as soon as the door was closed, she pushed Delia up against it, seeking her lips, kissing her with a degree of barely controlled desperation that caught the brunette by surprise. Delia tried her best to slow things down slightly and gently eased her lips away, beginning to explore Patsy's neck with her tongue. Patsy groaned in frustration but allowed Delia to take control.

"Question," murmured Delia, her lips brushing against Patsy's ear. "Which is your favourite part of my body?"

Patsy let out a long breath.

"All of it" she murmured, "You have the prettiest eyes I have ever seen, your hair feels like silk and your skin is heavenly. All day long I dream of kissing you all over."

Delia sighed happily, recapturing Patsy's lips and running her hands greedily over her bottom.

"My turn," whispered Patsy, "if you could do whatever you wanted to me, what would it be?"

A wicked grin crossed Delia's face,

"Oh I couldn't possibly TELL you, that wouldn't be fair...so I'll say 'Dare'!"

Patsy eased back ever so slightly, her eyes locked with Delia's.

"Make love to me, Deels...tonight."


	17. Loving someone gives you courage

"Make love to me, Deels,...tonight."

Delia was momentarily speechless and stared at Patsy in shock.

"Sweetheart, I've told you, there's no rush."

"You don't want to, do you?" stammered Patsy, pulling away, looking utterly crestfallen.

"Baby, don't be silly. Of course I do, come here," Delia assured her, pulling her back into her arms, "I just don't want you to do something that you're not ready for. You've had a lot to drink this evening, cariad. I would hate for you to wake up tomorrow morning with any regrets."

"I won't. I really do want to do this," said Patsy earnestly.

"Are you sure you're ready?" asked Delia anxiously.

Patsy shook her head.

"No," she admitted in a small, shaky voice. "I'm terrified."

"Patsy, I don't understand," sighed Delia, "why are you pushing yourself? If this is because of me, I meant what I said; I will wait as long as it takes."

Patsy took a deep breath to steady herself before beginning.

"I want to remember 25 July for something other than my abduction. I can't face going through another year, dreading that bloody date coming round, knowing that all of those horrible memories will surface again. I'm scared, but I trust you Deels, more than I have ever trusted anyone before. I know that I will be safe with you."

Delia contemplated the situation, whilst delicately stroking Patsy's cheek. She wasn't going to deny that she longed for the day that Patsy would give her the green light so that they could progress their physical relationship and make the ultimate connection. But she was acutely aware of how fragile the redhead was, and how her paper thin facade of confidence and control was just that, simply serving to mask the fearful young woman beneath. What damage would she cause if she was to push her beyond what she could cope with? She knew that Patsy trusted her implicitly, but this was a huge step for someone so vulnerable. As each of these thoughts flooded her mind, Delia considered the alternative. If she said no, would she not risk crushing her fragile spirit even more? She could only imagine how hard it had been for Patsy to find the courage that would bring her to this point? How much damage would it do if she perceived that she was being rejected? Finally, she spoke.

"OK, listen, this is what we'll do. We will choose a safe word, then if it becomes too much, if you're at all uncomfortable, you will have the control to stop things."

She crossed the room and locked the door.

"Just in case Trixie decides on another impromptu visit."

Patsy was slow to emerge from her bathroom; she had tried in vain to slow her racing heart and, as she made her way to the door, her hands shaking and her mouth dry, she tried to quash the urge to back out.

"You're an idiot, you're going to make a complete fool of yourself," she told herself. "You are so not ready for this. Just be honest and tell her that it's too soon, Delia will understand."

Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and promptly stopped in her tracks. Delia was sat on her bed flicking through a magazine, wearing a midnight blue satin slip. Simple in design, it clung to the brunette's every curve and Patsy's involuntary expression of awe and appreciation was not lost on her. Patsy opened her mouth but, without uttering a word, she closed it again. Delia smiled as she hopped off the bed and crossed to her.

"All done, sweetheart?"

Patsy stared stupidly at her.

"What?"

"The bathroom? You're finished?" clarified Delia.

"Mmm," muttered Patsy distractedly, "...you look nice."

Delia smiled and kissed her lightly,

"I'll be back now."

Delia returned in a matter of minutes, but, to Patsy, it felt like an eternity. She was kneeling on the couch beneath the window, her elbows on the windowsill, looking out to sea.

"I can do this, I can do this" she repeated over and over in her head.

"Planning your escape route?" teased Delia, sliding down alongside her.

Patsy jumped nervously; she had not even realised that Delia had come back into the room.

"Pats," said Delia quietly, "you really don't have to do this, if you're not sure."

Patsy closed her eyes in embarrassment.

"I don't have a clue what I am supposed to do," she confessed.

Delia took her hand and raising it to her lips, she gently kissed her trembling fingers.

"Why would you, Cariad?" she stated simply. "Listen, all I need you to do is to trust me."

With that, Delia lightly traced her finger down Patsy's cheek and leant forward to capture her lips, kissing her eagerly.

"You have the softest lips, Patsy," murmured Delia huskily, running her hand up the redhead's arm, as she reconnected their mouths, intensifying the kiss, her tongue demanding access to Patsy's mouth. Patsy yielded without hesitation, her hands instinctively reaching for Delia's smooth dark hair, her lips parting to welcome the brunette's tongue.

Delia eased back and, getting to her feet, she took Patsy's arm and slowly guided her to the bed.

"Come on, my darling, come to bed, let's get comfortable," she whispered.

She lay on her side and patted the space next to her; Patsy obliged and, somewhat awkwardly, shuffled down alongside her but, before the redhead had time to fret, Delia had drawn her in close and initiated another passionate kiss.

Delia's hands roamed freely over Patsy's form and, subtle though it was, she felt the uncertain redhead begin to respond. Delia sensed that Patsy was reticent to lay her hands on her, so the brunette gently lifted her right arm and placed it on her waist. Patsy gasped as her fingers came into contact with the silky slip through which she could feel Delia's warm skin, but her attention was quickly drawn to Delia's fingers which had found their way to the buttons of her top and were making short work of unfastening it.

"Beautiful," purred Delia, easing Patsy's shirt away, before leaning in to plant a trail of soft kisses from her shoulder to her neck. Patsy whimpered shyly. Her hands travelled tentatively up Delia's back, gasping as she realised that Delia had no bra on beneath the thin silky veil. Delia grinned in response and closed the gap between them, allowing Patsy to feel the hardened buds of her breasts against her chest as they kissed again.

Delia locked eyes with Patsy for a few moments before she slithered lower, and deftly undid the fastening of Patsy's jeans. Whatever notion the brunette may have had of smoothly whipping them away, however, rapidly crashed around her.

"Pats, sorry darling, but you're going to have to help me," she panted, struggling with the stubborn skinny-leg jeans. Patsy wriggled and writhed, peeling the tight denim down her thighs, finally allowing Delia to successfully yank the fabric clear of her legs, both women dissolving into fits of giggles. Delia recovered first, stroking her hands up Patsy's thighs as she eased the redhead onto her back, honing in to kiss her again.

Lifting herself back up, Delia climbed across to straddle Patsy who watched, mesmerised, as she slowly eased the slip up over her head. She smiled seductively as Patsy's eyes widened to the size of saucers, taking in the sight before her.

"Do you want to touch me, cariad?" she whispered, leaning forwards and kissing her, her breasts pressing against Patsy. "Go on my darling, I would really like it if you did," she encouraged.

She propped herself up, her hands on either side of Patsy, who hesitantly reached up and began to explore. Delia moaned in contentment, silently willing Patsy to adopt a more confident touch.

"I want your mouth on me, Patsy," pleaded Delia, her eyes darkening with arousal.

Patsy smiled shyly and lifted her head, allowing first her lips and then her tongue to make contact with Delia's hyper sensitive breasts.

"Oooohhhhh, yes," gasped Delia in ecstasy, "Patsy that's wonderful...oh my darling, please don't stop!"

Despite her uncertainty, Delia's vociferous reactions to Patsy's caresses, spurred the redhead on on and, soon, Delia was grabbing at Patsy's shoulders, pulling her closer and closer, unable to control her desire for more contact. Her hands fumbled for Patsy's bra strap, desperate to rid her lover of the frivolous barrier which was preventing her from enjoying the unrestricted sensation of breast on breast that she so craved.

Patsy released a small squeak as Delia's hands gently brushed across her naked breasts.

"Close your eyes," coaxed Delia.

Patsy looked trustingly at her then lay back and allowed her lids to flutter shut. She sensed Delia leaning across her and stifled a small, nervous giggle as her lover's silky hair tickled her chest. The urge to laugh was soon superseded by a flood of exquisitely arousing sensations, as Delia began teasing her with her tongue, circling her nipples before encapsulating one firm bud in her mouth, sucking lustfully. Patsy cried out and arched her back; Delia grinned and repeated the action before switching her attention to the other side.

"Patsy, you are so sexy," murmured Delia, returning to kiss her mouth, allowing her right hand to wander the length of the redhead's torso until it rested on her hip. She watched Patsy's face carefully for any hint of anxiety before her fingers traced a featherlight path across her lower abdomen.

"Pats, just one word if you want me to stop, ok darling?" she whispered.

"Don't stop, please don't stop," begged Patsy.

Delia was reassured and, lowered her hand to Patsy's groin, gently charting one side of her knickers before skimming across her crotch and back up the other side. Patsy's hips jerked involuntarily. Delia grinned and reversed the journey, this time allowing her hand to linger between Patsy's legs, her fingers pressing down, relishing the feeling of heat and dampness. Patsy let out a guttural groan, her hands grasping desperately for something, anything on which to anchor herself.

Delia kissed her again, her tongue probing deeply, as her fingers continued to stroke over Patsy's increasingly damp underwear. She reached up with her free hand, prised one of Patsy's hands from the sheet it was clutching and guided it between her own legs.

Patsy gasped in astonishment; Delia's underwear was sodden.

"See what you do to me," murmured Delia huskily.

Delia gazed into Patsy's eyes.

"Trust me?" she asked in a low voice. Patsy nodded and let out a tremulous breath as the brunette slowly relieved her of her knickers. Patsy instinctively pulled at Delia's underwear too, dragging it down her thighs. Delia assisted her, pushing her knickers beyond her knees and kicking them off before climbing back up on top of Patsy. She gave her a moment to adjust to her nakedness, all the while stroking her back and nuzzling her neck and it was Patsy's willingness to allow her hand to venture back to Delia's pert bottom that prompted the brunette to continue.

Delia's hand meandered south again, her fingers drawing delicate circles on Patsy's thighs, edging ever closer to the soft mound of hair that was the gateway to the brunette's greatest desire.

"Look at me, Patsy" she whispered, holding her gaze, before sliding her hand down into the warm, silky folds, eliciting a high-pitched whimper from the redhead.

Delia's fingers had no trouble in finding her pleasure point and stroked and circled, all the while whispering lovingly into her ear, until Patsy had to grab a pillow and bite down hard to suppress a scream at the sensation of bliss that radiated throughout her body.

As Patsy lay gasping, her body still trembling with pleasure, Delia held her securely in her arms.

"You know something? You're incredible!" she told her.


	18. Looking to the future

For several minutes, neither woman spoke. Delia was infinitely patient, mindful that Patsy had just overcome a hugely significant personal milestone, and felt unable to second guess how she might now be feeling. She held her snugly against her, stroking her arm and kissing her hair, as the tremors pulsing through the redhead's body gradually petered off. She glanced down in concern as she felt Patsy begin to shake, before realising that she had started to giggle.

"Pats? What's so funny, darling?" she asked, with a curious grin.

Patsy didn't respond; the muted chuckle rapidly escalating into hysterical and uncontrolled shrieks of laughter.

"Patsy!" demanded Delia, her initial amusement quickly subsiding, replaced by anxiety at the redhead's extreme and bizarre reaction. "Please!"

Patsy lifted her head, tears of mirth streaming down her cheeks.

"Why are you laughing?" persisted Delia.

Patsy shook her head.

"I don't know," she howled, overcome by another bout of laughter.

Delia wasn't laughing, quite the contrary, in fact; she was acutely aware that this far from a normal reaction and was starting to feel frightened. She had no clue what was going through Patsy's head, nor how she should respond.

She was grappling around in her mind, trying to figure out a sensible course of action when she noticed the expression on Patsy's face fall. In an instant, the smile vanished, and the snorts of laughter morphed into sobs of distress. Whereas Delia had found the laughter disconcerting, witnessing the tears was unbearable, and she felt her heart break as her beautiful, brave Patsy crumbled before her.

"Pats?...oh my darling, come here."

She rocked her in her arms, whispering soothingly into her ear.

"I'm not upset," sobbed Patsy.

"OK, then tell me, my sweetheart, tell me why you are crying?" she pleaded.

"I'm angry Deels...so angry that I feel as if I might explode!" wept Patsy furiously.

"Why cariad?" whispered Delia, doing her best to retain an air of calm, despite her ever growing confusion.

"I'm 28 years old and only tonight have I finally learnt what it is to love someone and have them love me back. All those years of loneliness, so much wasted time; I realise, now, what damage those bastards did to me, what they stole from me." Her voice was loaded with regret and bitterness.

"Pats," whispered Delia, cupping her face, "I am not going to tell you that I understand how you feel, because I don't; I couldn't possibly know." She kissed her and swept her thumbs across her cheeks to dry her tears. "But those awful people who robbed you of so much; please don't let them take another second of your happiness. If you let the anger eat away at you, then it's like you are allowing them to keep a small piece of control over you, even now, after all this time. They sure as hell don't deserve that, and you definitely owe it to yourself to break free from your past." She smiled lovingly at her and kissed her softly. "You have me now; we have so much to look forward to and enjoy together. Tonight gave you a tiny glimpse of that and you proved how strong you are; that you aren't willing to let the legacy of what they did, stop you from seizing the opportunity to be happy. I am so very proud of you darling."

Patsy sniffed, wondering how on earth such wise words could come from such a sweet, youthful mind. Yet again, the small Welsh woman had made perfect sense; yet again, she instinctively understood and voiced what Patsy so dearly needed to hear.

"I really would quite like to do that again," Patsy whispered shyly, a watery smile creeping across her face.

Delia raised her eyebrows, a cheeky grin twitching at the edges of her mouth.

"Oh, trust me, you will!" she assured her with a flirtatious smile. "Pats, there is so much more that we will discover together. We have all the time in the world."

"Do we have time now?" asked Patsy timidly.

Delia's face flooded with relief at the realisation that, despite the relentless onslaught of overwhelming emotions that had consumed the redhead mere moments before, Patsy still, very definitely, was in no doubt that she wanted to be hers.

"Oh I think that we might...right then," grinned Delia, playfully "what _shall_ I do with you now?"

Patsy squealed as Delia grabbed her shoulders and pinned her down, climbing across her.

"No...I meant..."

Her words were silenced by Delia's lips, as the brunette kissed her hungrily, Patsy immediately surrendering to her amorous advances.

"Is this what you meant?" she teased, tugging at her bottom lip with her teeth.

"No, I.." gasped Patsy.

"Or this?" Delia's eyes glinted with mischief as she ran her tongue down Patsy's neck.

Patsy groaned helplessly.

"Delia, I wanted.." she murmured weakly.

"Ohh, THIS is what you wanted." Delia's tongue found its way back to Patsy's breasts and the redhead promptly gave up all feeble attempts to exert her will, her head flopping backwards onto the pillow.

"Delia!" she managed at last.

Delia glanced up, an angelic expression gracing her face.

"Yes cariad?" she questioned innocently.

Patsy shuffled higher up the bed, her intention being to regain some self-control by putting sufficient distance between her breasts and Delia's all too expert tongue. As a consequence, however, Delia found herself face to face with Patsy's navel and within striking distance of even more tempting territory. She propped herself up on one elbow and smiled seductively at Patsy, running the tip of her tongue over her lips, her brazen intention blatantly clear.

"Dear Lord, Delia!" exclaimed Patsy, her eyes wide with shock.

Delia grinned and crawled back up the bed.

"OK, maybe not tonight...but I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to a little southern research project." she sighed contentedly. "Now what was it that you wanted to tell me?"

Having finally succumbed to sleep, Patsy and Delia lay comfortably together, their limbs entwined, Delia's desire to offer unflinching reassurance evident, courtesy of her ever-present protective arm. When Patsy awoke, she lay studying Delia's face; this was the face of the woman she loved, the woman she trusted and the woman to whom she had opened herself up, both physically and emotionally. Patsy couldn't help feeling that Delia made her whole.

"So, what if she goes away?"

The nagging thought invaded Patsy's mind out of nowhere, gripping her with an ice cold fear, an intrusive and wholly unwelcome sensation that, try as she might, she simply could not eradicate.

"What will happen when we leave here?" blurted out Patsy, the second Delia opened her eyes.

"Pats?" croaked Delia, struggling to shake off the shroud of sleep. "What are you talking about?"

"When we get to leave here; what will we do? I don't think that I can bear to lose you."

Delia yawned.

"Of course you won't lose me, you great prune! Let's face it, neither of us has a job to go rushing back to, so we can go wherever we choose...together, as long as that is what you want."

Patsy visibly relaxed as Delia rolled onto her side, linking their fingers.

"So any ideas? Where do you fancy going?"

Patsy shrugged.

"I don't know; to be honest, I've never actually felt like anywhere is home, not really," she observed.

Delia frowned at the uncomfortable reminder of how little wholesome love and security Patsy had experienced in her life, thus far.

"Well, I think we should get a flat...no, a little house, maybe a cottage out in the countryside. Somewhere that is all our own, where we can be ourselves and live a happy, simple life, just you and me. I want to have hanging baskets at the front and a little garden at the back, with one of those old fashioned porch swings so we can sit together with a glass of wine and watch the sunset. And a dog...no, a cat, or maybe both."

Delia's excited babble brought a smile to Patsy's face.

"You would really want to set up home with me?" she asked, unable to mask her incredulity that maybe, just maybe, she wasn't going to find herself back on her own. Perhaps, for once, she would belong somewhere, she would mean something to someone, and they to her.

"Yes, my beautiful sweetheart, more than anything."

"I'd love to have a cat!" said Patsy, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

Delia laughed,

"Oh I see, _that's_ the bit you focus on, is it?"

"When do you suppose this will all be over?" asked Patsy quietly, but Delia had no more idea than she did.

"Depends on the trial I suppose," she shrugged, her fingers mindlessly tracing circles along Patsy's hip. "I still don't know if I will be called to testify."

"Are you afraid?" asked Patsy tentatively.

Delia screwed up her nose.

"I wouldn't say that I was looking forward to it exactly. But I'm sure that it will be fine."

Patsy wasn't convinced, Delia's voice seemed a little too bright. In her head, the brunette wasn't scared of anything; she was steadfast and completely fearless, but she couldn't help but sense underlying anxiety and she made up her mind, then and there, to be ready to support her in any way that she possibly could. After all, she was her Delia. As odd as it felt to admit it to herself, Patsy understood that she was no longer a single unit, facing the unpredictability of the world alone; she was now part of something bigger and better, a partnership from which she would draw strength, courage, love and happiness. Delia watched as a small smile crept across the redhead's face.

"What's that smile about?" she asked curiously.

"Just thinking how coming here might just be the very best thing that has ever happened to me," sighed Patsy.


	19. Unwelcome news

Louise appeared as the girls were sat around the breakfast table, yawning sleepily into their coffee. Instead of placing the usual daily schedule in the centre of the table, she waited until she had their attention before addressing them.

"Ladies, I will need you all downstairs at 10:00; Superintendent Turner is coming in to brief you on the progress of the trial."

All four were instantly more alert and a blanket of tangible anxiety descended heavily over the room. Trixie instinctively looked to Delia for reassurance, her pale face and wide eyes betraying the overwhelming panic that surged through her. The normally steadfast Welsh woman, however, was equally disconcerted and could offer nothing more comforting than a strained smile in return.

45 minutes later, they made their way solemnly down the stairs. Louise, Jenny and Superintendent Turner were already seated, conversing in hushed tones, which served only to heighten the girls' apprehension. Patsy slipped her hand into Delia's and squeezed reassuringly; she knew that any one of her three friends could be about to hear some extremely unwelcome news and felt so terribly guilty for silently praying that the recipient be anyone other than her darling Delia.

"Ah, here they are. Thank you for coming down," said Louise with a smile; it was a vacuous smile that failed to emanate beyond her lips, and further enhanced the girls' feeling of dread. "Do take a seat."

The four young women forced themselves to take their places in the available chairs, waiting nervously for Patrick to speak.

"So you will be aware that we are now into week 2 of the trial; thus far it has, on the whole, proceeded as expected. The jury was sworn in without any issues and has heard the rather lengthy opening arguments from both sides. All four defendants have appeared in court, including Rafi, whose plea of mental ill health was, unsurprisingly, dismissed."

Trixie allowed herself a wry smile; she had barely been able to believe that her ex-boyfriend had had the gall to gamble on such a defence. She certainly didn't relish the prospect of having to go to court, but she was damned if she wanted him to avoid having to answer for his actions on such utterly far fetched grounds. He wasn't mentally ill; he was sly - a deceitful, money grabbing, calculating coward.

"Who are the other three?" enquired Barbara quietly.

"Rafi's brother, Hamid; your former boss, Greg Pennington and a particularly unpleasant character, an associate of Rafi's, goes by the name of Razor. Likes flexing his muscles and generally throwing his weight around."

"Charming," sniffed Delia in disgust. "I presume he's the one that came calling at my office?"

Patrick nodded then hesitated.

Trixie broke the tense silence.

"So, are you going to tell us what we really want to know?" she prompted, attempting to keep her voice steady. "Which of us is going to be called as a witness?"

Four sets of eyes were fixed on the officer, who cleared his throat nervously. Whilst he couldn't fail to admire Trixie's directness, he felt uncomfortable, caught in the stare of the four young women, knowing that the information that he was about to impart was likely to cause considerable distress.

"Not Barbara," he said finally.

"So, me and Delia then?" interjected Trixie irritably.

Patrick nodded.

"I'm afraid so."

"Can they refuse? Surely they don't have to do this?" demanded Patsy, her eagerness to try and find a way to protect her precious girl, manifesting itself as aggression.

Patrick faltered, looking to Louise for assistance.

The elder woman stood up.

"Patsy, Barbara, perhaps we should leave the others so that they can discuss the detail further."

Patsy glared at her.

"No chance! I am not leaving, I'm staying with Delia," she hissed stubbornly.

"Pats, it's alright," said Delia quietly, although her colourless cheeks and the strain etched across her face suggested otherwise.

Patsy opened her mouth to protest but Barbara had moved alongside her and, taking her arm, she tugged her from the room.

After what felt like the longest hour and a half in history, Patsy and Barbara heard the downstairs door open and footsteps coming up the stairs. They looked at each other nervously, as Trixie and Delia trooped in, both ashen-faced.

"I'll make some tea," stuttered Barbara, jumping to her feet, desperate to be of some use.

"What did he say?" asked Patsy, eyeing both women carefully.

Trixie sank into one of the chairs, resting her head in her hands, whilst Delia made her way towards the window, unwilling to establish eye contact with anybody.

"Thursday or Friday," muttered Trixie dejectedly.

Patsy would not take her eyes off Delia, who still refused to face them.

"Both of you?" she asked in a low voice.

Trixie nodded.

Patsy rose and crossed to the window, her heart thumping in her chest.

"Deels? Are you OK?" she whispered in concern.

Delia glanced up at her.

"I'm fine."

Patsy paled at the stricken expression on her beloved Delia's face.

"You don't have to do this, you know, nobody can force you."

Delia turned and faced her square on.

"Yes, I do." she said, with a tone of quiet determination. "If my testimony will potentially make the difference, then I have to tell my story, whether I want to or not."

"Have some tea," pleaded Barbara, compelled by a need to do something to ease the prevailing anguish and opting for the universally acknowledged, classic British fail-safe of a brew!

"So what happens now?" asked Barbara, placing four cups of tea in the centre of the table.

Trixie sighed despondently.

"Jenny wants Delia and me back downstairs at 1. Presumably she is going to try to put some kind of glossy spin on this, and attempt to convince us that we are strong, brilliant women who will take it all in our stride."

Patsy rolled her eyes.

"As true as that may be, are they actually going to help you to get through this?"

Trixie shrugged miserably.

"Apparently so."

"Delia, come and sit down, babe," coaxed Patsy, rubbing her arm.

Having been staring out of the window, lost in thought, Delia tried to drag herself back to reality. She smiled bravely and forced herself to follow Patsy back to the table.

"Sorry," she muttered, uncharacteristically quietly, perching awkwardly on the edge of her chair.

The usual easy chatter which, more often than not, prevailed when the four young women were together, was absent, in its place, a thoroughly unwelcome and strained silence.

Delia made a valiant attempt at drinking her tea, but she felt as if she was attempting to swallow shards of glass and quickly gave up. Trixie wasn't even bothering to entertain this charade; she pushed her cup away and sat picking at a loose thread on the sleeve of her cardigan.

Barbara and Patsy looked helplessly at one another, knowing full well that things would only get worse in the coming days.

"Let's get started on lunch," suggested Barbara, driven by a desire to be useful, as much as to escape the unbearable, suffocating cloak of misery around the kitchen table.

Between them, Patsy and Barbara cobbled together a selection of salads, cold meats and cheese. As they lay it out on the table, they realised that they should be under no allusion that either of the other two would actually eat anything. Trixie took one look at the food, got up and left the room without a word. Delia closed her eyes and sighed.

"I'm sorry girls, I'm really not hungry."

Barbara looked crestfallen.

"Please try something. You know what happened to me the other week," she implored, but Delia simply shook her head, pushed her chair back and retraced the route taken by Trixie moments earlier.

Left alone in the kitchen, Barbara and Patsy ate their lunch in silence. There was nothing to say; their closest friends were in pain, they could do nothing to ease their suffering and they both felt unspeakably useless. They would see neither Trixie nor Delia again until much later in the day. Assuming that they would be left to their own devices for the duration of the afternoon, both were a little taken aback by the sudden appearance of Phyllis. The older northern woman had a very straight-forward, matter of fact approach and, in hindsight, Patsy realised that it was no coincidence that she had been drafted in to occupy them whilst Delia and Trixie were otherwise engaged.

"Come on then, girls, you can't still be eating lunch at this time," she announced, casting a disapproving eye at her watch.

Patsy looked slightly horrified, memories of her previous "relaxation" session with Phyllis all too vivid in her memory, whilst Barbara opened and closed her mouth in the manner of a goldfish.

"Let's not allow the grass to grow under our feet..." continued Phyllis brusquely, evidently in no mood to take no for an answer. The two girls found themselves with little choice and submitted to allowing her to chivvy them down the stairs.

It was almost 5pm when Delia and Trixie finally reappeared. Neither Barbara nor Patsy felt the need to enquire as to how the afternoon had gone - their friends' pale faces and swollen bloodshot eyes answered all of their unasked questions. Without even uttering a single pleasantry, Trixie made a beeline for the fridge and seized a bottle of wine, from which she decanted a generous measure, before downing the lot. Barbara stared at her in horror, and was about to rebuke her when Patsy kicked her under the table, silencing her with a pointed shake of her head.

"In case you were wondering, I'm not sharing this," stated Trixie flatly, picking up the bottle of wine and pouring herself a refill. Despite Patsy's warning, Barbara's anxiety got the better of her.

"Trix, you had no lunch; you can't drink on an empty stomach," she ventured.

Trixie looked scornfully at her.

"Really? Just watch me!"

Deep down, Trixie knew that Barbara was absolutely right, that drinking like this was not going to assist her in the long run, and that she would regret it wholeheartedly, come the following morning. She felt guilty, knowing that her timid friend was genuinely concerned for her, but, such was her emotional burden, all rational thought had gone out of the window and Trixie had neither the strength, nor the will, to adopt a more conciliatory manner.

Delia, on the other hand, was calmer; too controlled, in fact, for Patsy's liking. She appeared to be trying to put on a brave face and give the impression that she was untroubled by what lay ahead. Despite her best efforts to conceal it, however, Delia's inner turmoil was not difficult to detect. The customarily vivacious and engaging Celt barely spoke and Patsy couldn't help but feel that she was deliberately keeping her distance, from her in particular. The redhead did her best not to allow herself to feel hurt by this, reasoning that Delia was perhaps afraid that her composure would fail her and she would fall apart if she allowed herself to get too close to her devoted Patsy.

Dinner, unsurprisingly, proved to be yet another disaster. Trixie was evidently intent on drinking herself into oblivion and, being subjected to Barbara's ensuing pained glances merely prompted her to relocate to the living room. Delia did, at least, remain at the table, although Patsy only counted three occasions when the fork she was twiddling agitatedly between her fingers actually made it to her mouth. She then insisted on doing the washing up, despite the others' protests.

"For heaven's sake, I'm not ill, washing a few plates isn't going to kill me," she asserted, with as much control as she could muster.

"Fine," conceded Patsy, picking up a tea towel. She was not to be swayed from her determination to stay close by, "then I'll dry."

"I might go out for a bit of a walk, get some fresh air," muttered Delia, as they dried their hands and exited the kitchen. Patsy hesitated, feeling her heart sink.

"Can I come with you?" she asked uncertainly.

"Of course," Delia told her, masking her frustration at being denied some alone time to reconcile her thoughts. She understood that Patsy cared deeply for her and was clearly finding it increasingly difficult witnessing Delia's newly exposed vulnerability.

They descended the stairs without exchanging a word; it was a warm evening and opening the back door, their senses were besieged by countless balmy floral fragrances. Walking side by side, they silently crossed the garden. Patsy snatched a surreptitious glance across at Delia. The brunette looked even more petite than usual and, if truth be told, utterly exhausted. Patsy yearned to be able to rescue her, to sweep her into her arms and protect her from all of this. Reigning herself in, however, she hesitantly reached for Delia's hand and, to her relief, was rewarded with a grateful, albeit melancholy smile.

"Thank you," said Delia quietly.

Patsy held her gaze.

"I am going to be by your side throughout all of this and beyond," she promised sincerely. "I love you so very much, Delia Busby."


	20. Trial day (part 1)

By the time that Wednesday evening limped around, Barbara had taken to hiding behind a book, too terrified to speak, for fear of exacerbating her friends' already considerable distress. Patsy, on the other hand, was doing her utmost to bolster their flagging morale; sadly her tireless efforts were in vain. Trixie, uncharacteristically short tempered, continued to seek solace in wine, or any other available alcoholic offering that might temporarily subdue her emotional discord, whilst Delia was barely recognisable, her bubbly nature absent as she wandered restlessly from room to room, unable to settle for more than a few minutes at a time.

Once alone in their bedroom, Patsy watched helplessly as her sweet, loving girlfriend stumbled robotically through the mundane routine of pre-sleep preparations, her face revealing a mixture of exhaustion and foreboding. She knew that Delia had hardly slept since Patrick had broken the news to her, and that, throughout her every waking moment, she was consumed by torturous fears about what lay ahead. Both Delia and Trixie would be travelling to the court early the following morning, although nobody could yet tell them at what time they were likely to be called, or indeed if it would be that day. The uncertainty was agonising.

Patsy was torn between an innate need to offer support and a desire not to intrude on Delia's quiet contemplation. She understood that this was a situation in which Delia needed the time and space to manage her own fears and emotions, and to prepare herself, in whatever way she could, for what she would face. She tried to hold herself back, to stop herself from crowding Delia, however, when she glanced through the bathroom door and spotted the small brunette staring vacantly into the mirror, her facial expression that of a lost child, Patsy's heart sank and she could stand back no longer. She padded quietly across the room, lay a gentle hand on Delia's shoulder, then reached down and relieved her of the hair brush that was hanging uselessly in her hand, at her side.

Patsy said nothing but raising the brush she began lovingly stroking it through her sweetheart's silky, chocolate-coloured hair. Delia's expression visibly softened as she silently welcomed the tender attentions of her partner. Fiercely independent and self sufficient though her nature, such was her distress at that moment that Delia had no appetite to resist the nurture offered by the one person that she adored the most. Once she had finished, Patsy placed the hairbrush aside and planted a soft kiss into Delia's hair before linking their hands and towing her back into the bedroom, and across to her bed.

"In you get," she whispered, holding the duvet up for her.

Delia obeyed and Patsy quickly climbed in behind her, tentatively placing her hand on the smaller woman's waist. She needn't have been apprehensive, however. Delia may not have voiced her appreciation of Patsy's comforting presence, but, within seconds, the brunette had caught hold of her proffered hand and pulled it snugly against her chest. Patsy let out a silent sigh of relief, thankful that she was, at least in some small way, able to provide her girlfriend with a degree of support.

The following morning, Patsy stirred as the early morning sunlight streaming through the gap in the curtains, caressed her face. She opened her eyes and her gaze immediately fell upon an apparently peaceful Delia. The brunette looked so very fragile and Patsy felt a surge of protectiveness engulf her. Battling with a hollow feeling of trepidation and a barely contained desire to hold her sweet girl tightly and never let her go, Patsy dragged herself out of bed, determined to maintain her guise of composure. As the redhead moved away, Delia let out the faintest whimper, alerting Patsy to the fact that she hadn't actually been sleeping after all.

"I'll fetch you some tea," she told her beloved softly, smoothing her hair back off her face. She promptly wished that she hadn't; Delia, not to put too fine a point on it, looked like a ghost. Patsy couldn't be sure if Delia had managed to sleep at all that night, but if her colourless cheeks and heavy lidded eyes were anything to go by, then it would certainly appear that she had had very little rest. Patsy hesitated at the door momentarily, disinclined to allow any physical distance between them, then steeling herself, she proceeded down the stairs.

Entering the kitchen, Patsy found Trixie sat at the table, staring into space. If she was even aware of Patsy's presence, she gave no indication thereof.

"Trix, do you want a cuppa, babe?" asked Patsy softly.

Trixie shook her head, her eyes still fixed on the far wall. Patsy wracked her brain, longing to offer some words of reassurance, but she drew a blank. The reality was that this was an intolerably difficult situation; both girls were sick with anxiety and there was nothing that anyone could say or do to make it any easier for them. Patsy continued her task in silence then, casting a sympathetic glance at the tortured blonde, she picked up the tea and headed back up the stairs to Delia.

Delia thanked Patsy for the tea but made no attempt whatsoever to drink so much as a sip of it. The redhead sat on the edge of the bed watching her girlfriend drift aimlessly around the room, making painfully slow progress at getting dressed, her fingers trembling as she fumbled with the buttons on her crisp white blouse. Finally ready, she turned to face Patsy,

"Will I do?" she asked shakily.

Patsy's smile was warm and sincere as she stood and crossed to her, her arms outstretched.

"You look beautiful my darling; tired but never more beautiful."

Delia's eyes filled with tears.

"I'm scared, Pats," she croaked. "I'm so scared."

"I know, my sweetheart," whispered Patsy.

"I don't want to face them, to have them stare at me, and I don't want to let them see me cry."

As she spoke, the first tears escaped and trickled down her cheeks.

"I wish that you were coming with me," she mumbled, her voice thick with emotion.

Patsy pulled her close and kissed the top of her head.

"I wish I was too..." She paused momentarily then reached up and unclipped her necklace. "Here, I want you to wear this today."

She fastened the necklace onto Delia, lifted the silver pendant to her lips, closed her eyes and kissed it.

"Now I will be right with you, all day" she whispered.

Barbara heard the car pull up just before 08:00. She crossed the landing and tapped on Patsy and Delia's bedroom door.

"Car's here," she whispered, as if keeping her voice low might actually serve to soften the unwelcome news that she was delivering.

If it was possible, even more colour drained from Delia's face and, for a moment, Patsy feared that the brunette might faint. She linked arms with her, as much to provide physical support as emotional, and guided her out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

Louise met them on the first floor landing; she could not fail to notice the intensity with which Delia was clinging to Patsy and a pang of sadness jolted through her. She had long felt maternal towards the young women in her care; it was such a difficult situation - they were essentially separated from their families and those they loved, save for letters, and yet they were intensely vulnerable and in desperate need of support and nurture. She understood that, in the main, they received this from each other and, consequently, it felt so wrong to be wrenching them apart at a time when they needed each other most. Reason and experience, however, told her that, cruel as this may seem, it was quite unavoidable.

Not wishing to prolong the agony any more than was absolutely necessary, Louise called for Trixie to join them from the kitchen, and they all headed downstairs. By now the tears were flowing freely down Delia's cheeks; Patsy, for her part, was struggling to harness her own emotions and squeezed Delia tightly, perhaps in the hope of imparting some of her strength into the desolate brunette.

"You can do this, my darling," she assured her. "Just tell the truth, that's all you can do."

Delia buried her head in Patsy's shoulder, the sobs now coming thick and fast. "In just a few hours, this will all be over and we will be back together."

Her reassurances were apparently falling on deaf ears; it was clear that Delia had no intention of relinquishing her hold on Patsy, who glanced desperately at Louise.

"Come along now, my dear, you and Trixie need to get going or else you will be late." As she spoke, an unfamiliar figure appeared in the doorway. Small in stature, with dark hair and delicate features, she glanced at her watch in concern.

"Are we ready?" she asked, her voice quiet yet firm.

"This is DI Cynthia Miller." explained Louise answering the quizzical expression on Trixie's face. "She will travel with you and stay with you throughout the day."

Trixie cast the diminutive officer a look of unbridled disdain, then picking up her bag, she hugged Barbara, marched straight past the newcomer and proceeded outside to get into the car.

"Delia, it's time to go now," repeated Louise calmly.

"No," sobbed Delia, tightening her hold on Patsy further.

"Come on Delia, this isn't helping you."

Cynthia stepped forwards and prised the brunette's fingers from the red head's shoulders and with Louise's assistance, dragged her towards the car.

Patsy stood stock still, her eyes brimming with unshed tears as she watched her distressed girlfriend being cajoled into the waiting vehicle.

"I love you," she called, her voice breaking as a tear escaped and slid down her cheek. Barbara quickly appeared at her side, wrapping a supportive arm around her waist.

"She'll be OK," she said with more confidence than she felt, "they'll look after each other."

"They should have let me go with her," muttered Patsy bitterly. Barbara shook her head sadly.

"You know that we can't...come on, they'll be back before we know it."

Barbara found herself completely out of her depth adopting the wholly alien role of the strong, supportive half of the duo. Sharing the house with three more confident women, three much stronger personalities, she had naturally and comfortably slipped into the "follower" role, content to allow the others to determine pretty much every group decision, from meals to film choices. However, what she lacked in assertiveness and leadership, Barbara more than made up for in genuine compassion, and it was this that she relied upon as she led Patsy back upstairs and into the kitchen. Her unobtrusive, empathetic approach had a calming effect on her fretful friend and in a matter of minutes, Patsy was sufficiently calm to sit and drink a cup of tea with her.

Meanwhile, in the car there was silence, save for Delia's muted sobs, as the vehicle sped through the countryside. The windowless rear of the car took both girls back to the night of their transfers; the feeling of trepidation with them now, not so very different from the emotions they had felt all those weeks back. DI Miller, who was sat facing them, eyed her charges with measured concern. Through the course of her work she had become accustomed to encountering individuals, more often than not women, in a heightened emotional state and these two were no different. She took no offence at Trixie's hostility, nor was she fazed by Delia's tears. Initially, she left them to their thoughts and only once Delia's tears had subsided, did she attempt to engage with them, offering them drinks.

"No thank you," replied Trixie frostily, whilst Delia gratefully took a bottle of water.

"It will probably take us around an hour and a half to get to the court," explained Cynthia calmly. "Is there anything that you want to ask me?"

Trixie rolled her eyes and tutted dismissively; as if this feeble looking woman could possibly tell them anything of any use. It was positively laughable!

Delia frowned, mustering the composure to speak.

"Do you think it will just be today?" she whispered. "We won't have to come back again tomorrow, will we?"

The Detective shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"I'm sorry, but I can't be 100% sure at this stage. We are hoping that your testimonies will be completed today, though."

Delia glanced down dejectedly; she wasn't sure that she could bear having to go through this a second time. She said nothing more.


	21. Trial day (part 2)

Having successfully reached their rendezvous point, all three transferred into an unmarked police car to complete the last few miles of their journey, eventually reaching the court house just before 09:45. Whilst the reflective windows meant that nobody on the outside could see into the vehicle, for Trixie and Delia, it was the first time in several months that they had laid eyes on the outside world, the world beyond the confines of the safe house. It was, in truth, a little overwhelming and both were secretly relieved when the car approached a security barrier and proceeded down a ramp, entering an enclosed underground parking area. Stepping gingerly out of the vehicle into the dimly lit basement, Delia and Trixie instinctively edged closer to each other, anxious to glean reassurance from the only familiar thing within the vicinity; each other.

DI Miller noted their wary expressions and took the lead, guiding them across to a lift. Having inserted a security card, she then entered a PIN number which granted them access. The mechanism whirred quietly as the lift carried them from the basement up into the heart of the building. However, when the lift pinged, signalling its arrival at the required floor and the door opened, neither Trixie nor Delia made any move to follow Cynthia out. The officer turned back and caught their exchange of nervous glances.

"It's OK girls. This is a restricted access area; you are perfectly safe. We just need to go through that door and round the corner to our room."

The pair forced themselves to proceed and both breathed a sigh of relief as they entered their not unpleasant waiting room and the heavy panelled door clunked shut behind them.

The room was laid out to make it as comfortable and welcoming as possible - there were sofas set around a coffee table on which sat a selection of magazines and a basket of fruit. Across to one side was a counter with a kettle, a fridge full of drinks and, most importantly, a vast array of chocolate bars.

"Well it certainly looks as though they knew we were coming," said Cynthia brightly. Her valiant efforts to lighten the mood fell flat, however; neither Trixie nor Delia showed the slightest scrap of interest in the generous provision of hospitality. They stood side by side in glum silence, taking in their surroundings.

"Shall I boil the kettle, make us all a nice cup of tea?" suggested Cynthia with somewhat forced enthusiasm.

To give her her due, DI Miller was certainly a trier. Sadly, Trixie was in no mood to be gracious, opting to cast the well-meaning officer her most disparaging look, whilst wishing that she had the energy to let rip and tell her what was really going through her mind. She couldn't help but think that she would feel a damn site better if she did.

"No, thank you," muttered Delia politely, her crippled emotional state not having diminished the manners her mam had firmly ingrained into her as a child.

DI Miller frowned, appearing momentarily at a loss.

"I'll...errr, I'll just go and check whether they have any idea of the order for today," she said quickly, taking her leave.

"Could that woman be any more bloody annoying?" exploded Trixie, the moment the door was closed. Delia looked slightly perplexed.

"Who? Cynthia? I think she is just trying to help, Trix," she responded weakly.

"Well that's one thing that she is certainly NOT doing, at least not to my mind," steamed the agitated blonde.

Delia shrugged, her fingers toying with the pendant that hung from the chain around her neck. She didn't really care; all she knew was that the one person that she wanted most of all, the only person that stood any chance of making her feel remotely better at that moment, was not there.

Cynthia returned about ten minutes later; she didn't expect a warm reception which was just as well because she certainly didn't get one. Neither woman so much as looked up. The detective cleared her throat as she sat down opposite them.

"Delia, it looks as if you will be called first," she said gently.

Delia reacted as though she had been punched in the stomach; she clasped her arms around herself, her eyes wide with panic. Trixie slid along the sofa and wrapped her arm around her.

"They will give us a ten minute warning," Cynthia assured her.

"Oh, well obviously that makes it so much better," spat Trixie bitterly, glowering at the officer.

"I need the bathroom," gasped Delia, scrambling to her feet.

"Down the corridor, second door on your left," Cynthia called, as the brunette fled the room.

When Delia eventually returned, there was a tangibly frosty atmosphere in the room. Trixie glanced up at her friend.

"Are you OK, sweetie?" she asked sympathetically.

"Did they call for me?" demanded Delia, ignoring Trixie's concerned enquiry.

"No, not yet, come and sit down for a bit," soothed Cynthia.

Delia shook her head, too worked up to sit; instead she paced the room, her fingers still clasping the silver pendant that hung around her neck, consumed by anxiety. Little did she know that just over 100 miles away, a certain redhead was marking out a very similar route as she counted the endless seconds until her Delia would be returned to her.

Inevitably the call did come and Delia battled to force her trembling legs to carry her out behind the court clerk. As she entered the court room, the first face she noticed was that of Superintendent Turner. He smiled, attempting to offer some moral support, but couldn't even be sure that the young woman had recognised him, such was her haunted facial expression.

"Ms Busby?" The court clerk appeared to have realised that Delia was so deeply troubled that she was struggling to function and he tried to reach out to her so that he could guide her to the witness stand.

Delia turned to look at him.

"This way Ms Busby," he prompted kindly.

Standing in the witness box, Delia swore her oath and waited for the questioning to begin. The hour that followed was, quite simply, excruciating. In her head, she repeated over and over the last words that Patsy had said to her;

"Just tell the truth, that's all you can do."

But the questions just kept coming; the defence barrister was twisting what she said, making her doubt what she knew to be true; he was trying to make her out to be a liar. Her throat was raw and her hands were bleeding from having gouged her nails so hard into her palms. She was so mentally exhausted that, initially, she didn't react when the judge dismissed her from the witness box.

"Ms Busby?"

It was the court clerk who, again, came to her rescue.

"Would you like to follow me?"

Delia stumbled from the court room in a daze; she had no recollection of the lift ride up to the waiting room and could barely formulate a sentence as Cynthia welcomed her back inside and led her to the sofa.

"Trixie?" spluttered Delia hoarsely.

"She has already gone down," explained Cynthia. " I really do think that you should have a cup of tea now, Delia; you are so terribly pale."

That well intentioned cup of tea was still sat untouched on the table in front of Delia when Trixie was brought back to the room two and a half hours later. Exchanging a few hushed words with Cynthia, the clerk confirmed that the girls had completed their testimonies and that the jury had been dismissed for the remainder of the afternoon. Cynthia promptly picked up her phone and organised for the vehicles to be on standby, ready to take them back to the Safe House.

If the atmosphere in the car had been strained on the journey down to the courthouse, the return passage was tenfold more uncomfortable. Not one of them spoke; even Cynthia had conceded defeat, leaving them to their thoughts, and spending the journey focusing on her blackberry. She messaged Louise to give her their expected arrival time and to warn her of the girls' extremely fragile states.

Patsy and Barbara had passed an agonisingly slow day, unable to concentrate on anything. Louise's initial thought had been to get them to spend some time with Jenny, thus giving them an opportunity to voice their concerns and release some of the tension. It quickly became clear, however, that this was a pipe dream and there was not really anything that was going to help relieve their anxiety. She conceded to leave them in each other's company, only coming to find them when she could let them know that the girls were on their way back. From that moment on, neither Patsy nor Barbara moved from the kitchen window. The second they heard the clunk that signified that the main gates were opening, they raced down the stairs, almost flattening Jenny, who happened to be passing by the bottom of the staircase at the time.

Patsy and Barbara held on to each other as Louise proceeded to open the door. Whilst they could see the car, the lack of windows in the rear meant that, for what felt like the longest few minutes, they could see neither Trixie nor Delia. Finally the side door was opened and first Cynthia emerged, followed by Trixie. Barbara gasped in shocked horror; the blonde looked completely broken and she stumbled as she clambered out of the car.

"Take your time," Louise told her gently, offering a steadying arm.

"Trix" gulped Barbara, her voice breaking with emotion.

She reached out to hug her friend but Trixie quickly released herself and ran for the nearby bathroom, where the retching sounds that reverberated from within suggested that she was being violently sick.

Delia had been slow to exit the car and, when she did so, it was clear that she was terribly disorientated. Patsy was so appalled by her desperate appearance that she was momentarily paralysed. Louise, however, was quickly at her side and placed an arm around her waist, to support her as she coaxed her into the house.

Quickly recovering herself, Patsy rushed to Delia and pulled her into her arms.

"Oh my darling, my poor sweetheart, you're home now, I've got you."

She promptly felt Delia go heavy in her arms as the brunette's legs buckled beneath her and the final whispers of resilience evaporated.


	22. It's good to be home!

Quickly recovering herself, Patsy rushed to Delia and pulled her into her arms.

"Oh my darling, my poor sweetheart, you're home now, I've got you."

She promptly felt Delia go heavy in her arms as the brunette's legs buckled beneath her and the final whispers of resilience evaporated.

"Shit!" gasped Patsy, frantically adjusting her arms to prevent Delia from falling. She carefully lowered her to the floor.

"Jenny, a glass of water, if you would, please," requested Louise, crouching beside the groggy brunette. "That's it, just breathe nice and slowly for me," she prompted calmly, carefully undoing the top two buttons of Delia's blouse to try and cool her down a little. "There's a good girl. You're alright, you have just had a very testing day, but you're home now and we're going to take care of you." She thanked Jenny for the water then directed her to check on Trixie, who had still not emerged from the bathroom.

Delia blinked, frowning in confusion, unable to comprehend what she might be doing sat on the floor. She promptly went to get back up and was somewhat affronted when Louise and Patsy instantly chorused "NOOO!" and tethered her back to the floor.

"What did you do that for?" slurred Delia irritably, shrugging them off.

"Just stay there a minute," instructed Louise calmly, "here, drink some water for me."

"I don't want it," snapped Delia, pushing the proffered glass away, causing it to tip and empty its contents into Louise's lap.

"Sorry," muttered Delia guiltily but her apologies were interrupted by the reappearance of Trixie, who emerged from the bathroom looking no better than when she had gone in.

Louise assessed the pitiful situation with which she was faced, and concluded that the best course of action was probably to let both girls rest for a while; any form of debrief could and should wait. She sensed Jenny bristling anxiously behind her, knowing that the psychologist held an unyielding view that the sooner the follow up conversations took place, the easier it would potentially be to help the women to overcome this emotionally destructive event. Whilst acknowledging that this may indeed be the case, Louise felt compelled to allow Trixie and Delia time to recover; she would arrange for them to reconvene at a later time.

"Come on Trix," commanded Barbara firmly, as she took her arm and ushered her towards the stairs. Trixie appeared dazed but offered no resistance as Barbara helped her to negotiate the steps. Patsy glanced down at Delia.

"Do you think you can stand?"

Delia nodded confidently, perhaps a little too confidently, as she wobbled precariously even with Patsy helping her to get to her feet. Clamping her arm firmly around the smaller woman's waist, Patsy slowly edged her forwards.

"That's it, there's no rush sweetheart," she coaxed "...please don't make me have to carry you," the redhead added in a whisper, drawing a weak smile from her charge.

Whilst Patsy was certain that Delia would benefit most from an hour or two tucked up in bed, the challenge of one flight of stairs was more than sufficient for the time being and conceding defeat at the first floor landing, they struggled into the lounge, where Trixie and Barbara were already slumped on the sofa. Barbara jumped up as the other two entered to make space for Delia beside Trixie. Patsy supported the brunette as she eased her down alongside the equally fragile blonde, before quickly ascertaining that Delia had no intention whatsoever of letting go of her.

"Deels, it's alright babe, you can let go now," she assured her, but Delia shook her head.

'Don't leave me," she stammered pitifully.

"Sweetheart, I'm not going anywhere...ok, just shuffle over a bit."

Patsy shoe-horned herself into the minute gap that appeared and Delia immediately snuggled against her.

Within a matter of minutes, Patsy felt Delia's breathing regulate and her vice-like hold relax; she realised that her girlfriend had drifted off to sleep. Patsy watched over her with unreserved love in her eyes as she gently stroked her hair. Trixie looked across, a wistful expression on her face. How she wished that she could enjoy the kind of closeness that Patsy and Delia had; she longed for the comfort that could only be drawn from that one person who cherished you more than any other. For a while she had thought that she had found that person; she had experienced an incredible feeling of security and serenity...and then her fairytale existence had unceremoniously fallen apart.

"Trix, how are you doing?" asked Barbara, interrupting the blonde's private reflection.

Trixie shrugged non-committally.

"Alright, I guess, glad it's over..." She hesitated before continuing, her voice spiced with anger. "Do you know, that bloody coward couldn't so much look at me? Acted like I wasn't even there."

Barbara looked thoughtful.

"Well, there is every chance that he is going to lose everything." she observed wisely. "Don't get me wrong, he deserves every second of his fall from grace, but I suppose his reaction was to be expected. He was never going to do the decent thing, was he? I mean, could you honestly imagine that he would confess and plead for forgiveness? He hardly has the most well aligned moral compass, after all."

"He's a spineless prick," snorted Trixie.

"Well, yes, but I was trying to be polite," said Barbara, slightly flustered.

"...and I was telling it how it is!" stated Trixie with emphatic finality.

"1-0 to Trixie," winked Patsy. "Barbara, how about you go and pop the kettle on?" she suggested, sensing the younger woman's need for occupation. "I would go myself, but I am a little...umm...well I am otherwise engaged," she conceded, smiling affectionately at the peaceful brunette in her arms. Barbara didn't need to be asked twice and quickly disappeared.

"That is it now, isn't it?" asked Patsy, unable to disguise the anxiety in her voice. "Neither of you will have to go back again?"

Trixie shook her head,

"No, we're done. Whether it will have made any difference, I guess only time will tell but there is nothing more that either of us can do."

Patsy nodded slowly, her hand still gently caressing the sleeping Delia's chestnut tresses.

"Good, I'm not sure that she could cope with going through that again," she muttered quietly. Trixie sighed sadly.

"It was awful, Patsy," she whispered honestly. "They twisted everything I said, tried to make me look like a liar. I even began to doubt myself in the end." She squeezed her eyes shut as if attempting to banish the memories of her ordeal in the witness box. "I can't imagine that it was any better for Delia... I just hope that it wasn't all for nothing," she finished shakily. Patsy was not one to favour offering superficial reassurances and simply smiled sadly.

Barbara soon returned with a tray of tea.

"I made one for Delia too, in case she wakes up."

Patsy nodded gratefully at her, although secretly she hoped that Delia would continue sleeping for as long as possible. This was the first time that she had seen the brunette relaxed in several days and she knew how desperately Delia needed to sleep. In truth, she was also relishing the fact that she had been the one to help her to achieve this peaceful state.

They were just taking their first sips of tea when Louise popped her head round the door.

"Sorry to disturb you ladies, but I just wanted to check how you were doing."

Relief swept across her kindly face as her gaze fell first on the pale but considerably less agitated Trixie and then on the sleeping Delia.

"Oh thank heavens, she looks completely relaxed," she smiled, meeting Patsy's eyes and nodding appreciatively. "I am not going to linger this evening; you ladies need some recovery time but I just wanted to tell you, Trixie, and if you could pass this onto Delia when she wakes, that DI Miller has reported to me that you both did exceptionally well today. Superintendent Turner was in the court room when you were giving evidence and he said that, despite being subjected to some unduly aggressive cross examining, you both came across as strong, believable witnesses, and the evidence that you gave was extremely powerful."

Trixie stared incredulously at Louise;

"What? He really said that?" she muttered, "He thinks that they believed us?" Her voice was little more than a whisper. Louise smiled sincerely, suddenly appreciating that her instinct to come and share this news with the girls had been completely on tap.

"He has no reason to think otherwise, Trixie." she stated definitively. "Whatever the outcome now, you should know that we are very proud of you both."

Trixie's eyes glistened with tears which she instantly tried to blink away. She had fought to fend off the waterworks all day and had no intention of giving in to tears now. Patsy and Barbara both beamed at her; Patsy then leant down and kissed the top of Delia's head.

"Well done my sweetheart," she whispered lovingly into her hair.

Delia stirred around 40 minutes later; she suddenly jolted upright, her face etched with panic, her breathing rapid.

"It's OK, Deels," Patsy assured her, gently guiding her back down. "I'm right here, just relax."

Still not fully awake, Delia was neither able nor willing to resist the redhead's reassuring hold. As the shroud of sleep began to lift, however, she focused on Trixie at the opposite end of the sofa and frowned in confusion, unable to fathom why the blonde was smiling at her. Whilst still pale and drawn, the expression on Trixie's face was distinctly lighter, more so than Delia had seen it in days.

"What time is it?" yawned Delia.

"Approaching half six," Barbara told her. "How are you feeling?" she asked kindly.

"I don't know," admitted Delia uncertainly. "I keep running over things in my head, I really did try to tell them everything but my mind went blank and..."

"Louise came up when you were sleeping," interrupted Patsy, the words tumbling out rapidly, such was her eagerness to relate the positive news. "She wanted to let you and Trix know how well you did today. Superintendent Turner was in court; he said that you were both amazing."

At first, Delia shook her head dismissively but her gaze drifted back across to Trixie who responded with an emphatic nod and a genuine smile.

"Honestly sweetie, I didn't believe it either, but I promise you, that's what he said."

Delia took a few moments to digest this unexpected information then let out a prolonged, deep sigh, as though to expel the weeks of pent up anxiety.

Barbara looked to Patsy.

"Shall I go and fetch the munchies?"

Patsy nodded.

"I'll come and give you a hand." She peeled herself away from Delia and stood up. "We figured that you would both be too tired to want to bother with proper dinner, but neither of you has eaten more than a few scraps over the past few days, so we thought that maybe some little nibbles might tempt you. Back in a mo."

As soon as they had left the room, Trixie and Delia looked at one another. Neither spoke, they didn't need to. Each knew what the other was thinking, the relief at having endured something so mentally draining, having harnessed every last scrap of their physical strength and emotional resolve to stand up and do the right thing. For both of them, that day had represented one of the most challenging events of their lives; it wasn't something that they ever wanted to have to face again, but they had done it, and they could hold their heads high.

Trixie and Delia were touched when they realised what thought and effort Barbara and Patsy had put into preparing them a spread of tasty nibbles. Delia spotted the plate of stuffed olives, her favourite guilty pleasure, and grinned at Patsy; she knew full well that they had been laid out for her benefit.

"See, even if you don't have the energy to pick them up, then I can simply pop them into your mouth for you...you can't say that we don't think of everything."

In the event, both Delia and Trixie made a concerted effort to sample a selection of tasty appetisers, the array of rich flavours stimulating their long neglected taste buds.

"You know what would really go well with this?" started Trixie, her face lighting up.

"You are not having wine tonight," Barbara announced, her tone uncharacteristically authoritative.

"I was only saying that it would be nice," retorted Trixie, a sulky expression descending on her perfectly proportioned features.

"Yes, and it'll be just as nice tomorrow evening!" she told her firmly.

Patsy raised her eyebrows at Trixie and shook her head. Fierce Barbara was not someone they often saw; she was amusingly fearsome.

"I wouldn't argue with her if I was you," she uttered in a sing song voice.

Trixie opened her mouth to protest but observing the expression on Barbara's face, clearly thought better of it and settled, instead, for a loud tut of disgust.

Delia yawned and stretched then pulled herself to her feet.

"Thank you so much for the food," she said gratefully. "That was exactly what I needed. I think I might go and take a shower now, wash the rest of the day off me"

She smiled reassuringly at Patsy who had promptly reached out to offer support, lest she should stumble again. "I'm fine, cariad."

Patsy didn't look convinced.

"I promise you, Pats, I feel OK."

Patsy reluctantly watched Delia exit; Barbara and Trixie could see that she was itching to follow.

"Just give her a minute," Barbara told her quietly. "She says that she's alright."

"She might say that but what if she faints again?" she demanded panickily, "She might bang her head if she falls in the shower." Patsy was getting more and more worked up by the second. "No, I need to go with her...just in case."

Barbara and Trixie could tell that there was little to be achieved by reasoning with the fretful redhead and resigned themselves to watching her bolt from the room.

Upstairs, in the bathroom, Delia was feeling considerably more relaxed. The power nap, the food and the knowledge that she had acquitted herself well under extremely difficult circumstances, were all contributing to her much lighter mood. Smiling at her reflection in the mirror, her eyes were drawn to the silver pendant, hanging from the chain around her neck. She captured it between two fingers.

"Thank you Pats," she whispered.

The brunette slowly began to get undressed, grateful to free herself from the crisp white blouse and restrictive pencil skirt that she had opted for that morning. She sighed thoughtfully as she folded them neatly and lay them on the floor; she certainly hoped that she would have no cause to wear them again any time soon. Turning around, she was startled to see Patsy standing in the doorway.

"Good grief Pats, you're like creeping Jesus, how long have you been standing there?" she gasped.

Patsy cocked her head thoughtfully, studying Delia's face intently and came to the conclusion that she really did look quite alright. Whilst her face revealed the inevitable traces of fatigue, the haunted look in her eyes had gone, replaced by the endearingly familiar sparkle and animation. Her girl was back. As Patsy's anxiety ebbed away, she reclined against the doorframe, an indulgent smile gracing her face.

"So, is there something I can help you with?" enquired Delia, somewhat amused by the redhead's blatantly suggestive expression.

Patsy couldn't prevent the blush that radiated across her face.

"No thanks, I'm fine...just enjoying the view," she responded brazenly.

Delia grinned.

"Oh really?"

She stepped across and wrapped her arms around the redhead.

"Did nobody ever tell you that it's rude to stare?" she challenged, her hands roaming over Patsy's deliciously taut backside.

Patsy feigned thoughtfulness. "I can't say that I recall anyone telling me that...I distinctly remember being taught to appreciate things of great natural beauty, though. My father was always reminding me of that."

Delia laughed.

"I highly doubt that this was what your father had in mind, my darling," she teased.

Patsy shrugged nonchalantly, her eyes devouring Delia's perfectly smooth flesh. The brunette stretched up, pecked Patsy on the lips then eased herself back.

Patsy, however, could not tear her eyes away and watched, entranced, as Delia stretched across to reach for the shower controls. Until that moment, she had never fully appreciated just how toned and muscular the petite brunette was. How she longed to trace her fingers along the muscular definition on her back and to feel those strong thighs clamped around her. Her private fantasising was rudely interrupted.

"Pats, this isn't a spectator sport, you know?" chided Delia.

Patsy had the grace to display a smidgen of shame, although it was certainly not sufficient to persuade her to break her gaze and she watched lustfully as Delia reached back and unclipped her bra.

"Gorgeous," sighed Patsy, breathlessly, the flames of arousal within her well and truly stoked as she eagerly anticipated the imminent presence of a completely naked Delia before her.

Peeling off her knickers, Delia faced Patsy and giggled at the unabashed expression of adoration and awe on her girlfriend's face.

"Why don't you join me?" she suggested mischievously.

Patsy swallowed nervously but found herself nodding, before her brain had even processed what Delia had said; her all consuming desire for the sexy brunette quashing her usual timidity. She began tackling the buttons on her shirt as Delia looked on approvingly. Within seconds she was tugging off her jeans and smiling shyly at her girlfriend as she cast away her bra and shimmied out of her knickers.

Now it was Delia's turn to relish the view before her, but only for a moment; Delia wanted to do far more than just look and reaching forwards, she pulled Patsy into a deep and passionate kiss. Both women moaned as they pressed their naked bodies together, tongues probing, desperate for a more intense connection. Delia's hands luxuriated in the feel of Patsy's soft auburn tresses, whilst, unusually, it was Patsy whose hands ventured downwards, unable to resist caressing the flawless flesh of Delia's buttocks.

"I am so very proud of you, Delia," purred Patsy into the brunette's mouth.

Delia sighed contentedly; what a difference a day made. The bleak memories of sleepless nights and days of endless worrying, were fading fast, being kissed and tenderly stroked away by her love.

"Come on," grinned Delia, "I really do feel horribly grimy."

She stepped into the shower, pulling Patsy in behind her. The water beat down on them but they scarcely noticed, such was their need for further unity. Barely surfacing for air, they crushed their lips together again, almost frantic in their desire for each other.

"Oh Patsy," gasped Delia wrapping her arms around the redhead's neck to pull her closer still, "you are so wonder..." Delia didn't finish her sentence as Patsy suddenly grasped her around the waist and lifted her, pushing her the brunette's back against the wall to steady them. Delia instinctively clamped her legs around Patsy's hips, letting out a deep, sensual moan at their intimate connection as they continued to indulge in fervent kisses.

Finally setting the brunette back down, Patsy smoothed the damp strands of hair back off Delia's face and smiled adoringly. She picked up a sponge and squeezing on some shower cream, she gently began to wash her girlfriend, creating a trail of white foam with each delicate stroke. Delia closed her eyes and sighed blissfully, perfectly at ease with Patsy's tender attentions. It had almost been worth all the stress and heartache to be rewarded with such nurture.

Patsy insisted on exiting the shower first; she reached for a soft white bath sheet which Delia stepped gratefully into, wrapping it snugly around herself. Patsy did the same and they made their way into the bedroom where they settled together on Patsy's bed. For several minutes, neither of them uttered a word, happy just to enjoy the closeness. Finally with Delia unable to suppress a yawn any longer, Patsy determined that it was time for bed. She disappeared into the bathroom to brush her teeth, returning moments later to find her beautiful girl, eyes closed, an angelic look gracing her face, sound asleep.


	23. Dear Father

Alone in her bedroom, Patsy sat at on her bed, chewing the end of her pen nervously as she stared at the notebook that was propped against her knees.

'Dear Father,'

15 minutes had passed and that was all that she had managed to write. Delia and Trixie had been called downstairs for their post-trial debrief with Jenny and Louise, and Patsy had told Barbara a bit of a white lie; well, not so much a lie, more made a slightly misleading inference. Patsy wasn't unwell, as the sympathetic Barbara had surmised when the redhead had excused herself to her room; but she genuinely did need some quiet time to try and collect her thoughts and focus on the tricky task in hand.

Whilst the other girls had written letters to their family and friends on a fairly regular basis, Patsy had, thus far, not penned a single piece of correspondence. She reasoned that there was little point; her father was overseas and most likely extremely busy with operational matters; besides, she had never exactly had that sort of relationship with him. Whilst Barbara may have enthusiastically relayed to her parents the amusing tales of their day to day antics at the house, Patsy found it inconceivable that her austere and distant father would welcome news of such a trivial nature. As a child, the gulf between them could be easily dismissed; she was well used to hearing the casual, off hand comments; "Patience is just a small child; she's too young to understand", "Patience is a typical teenager; you know how it is, teenagers never want to have much to do with their parents"...but now, as adults, the bitter truth was far more difficult to disguise. Father and daughter simply did not know each other; yes they were related by blood and bound by the tragic events of their past, but, in reality, they were total strangers.

This morning, however, Patsy had something important that she needed to ask her father; the thought had been prickling at her consciousness for several days now, and last night as she had lain, her arms cradling her precious Delia, she had finally reached a decision. The challenge now, was to figure out how to word this.

'Dear Father,'

She groaned audibly, frustrated by her own inability to formulate the necessary sentiment; Delia would be so much better at this than her. But no, she reminded herself, this was something that she needed to do by herself, and Delia was, in fact, the very last person she should turn to for help. Steeling herself, she tried again.

'Dear Father,

I hope that this letter finds you well. I am sorry that I haven't written sooner...'

She hesitated, screwed up her nose, ripped out the sheet and, crumpling it into a ball, threw it across the room.

'Dear Father,' she tried again.

'I trust that you are well. I am sure that you are very busy and I hope that you will forgive my bothering you, only there is an important matter which I should like to discuss with you.'

She paused and reread it; yes, that sounded slightly better, and it got straight to the point, which she knew that her business-like father would appreciate.

After an hour, Patsy had scribbled out a letter that she felt was passable, not great, she conceded, but it conveyed what she had wanted to say and would have to do. Her heart was thumping in her chest as she folded the letter and stuffed it into an envelope. Now all that she had to do was to get it into the mail tray before the daily noon cut-off, preferably without any one of her house mates noticing. Having observed no correspondence coming in or going out for the duration of Patsy's stay, she knew that this change would inevitably prompt curious questions from her companions. She crept down the first flight of stairs, but apparently not quietly enough. Hearing her footsteps, Barbara quickly dashed out of the living room to greet her.

"How are you feeling now?" she asked sympathetically. Patsy flushed guiltily as she rapidly slid the envelope into the back pocket of her jeans, out of sight.

"Much better, thanks," she mumbled, hating herself for continuing this charade.

Barbara looked genuinely relieved, further heightening Patsy's sense of shame.

"That's great; shall I put the kettle on?" she suggested enthusiastically, heading for the kitchen, clearly expecting Patsy to follow.

The redhead gritted her teeth and nodded, doing her best to veil her frustration, her brain desperately trying to figure out a solution..

"That would be great...I might just pop to the bathroom, first" she called, quickly, darting for the stairs.

"Please don't come out, please don't come out," she muttered under her breath, as she reached the ground floor, crossed the hallway and tossed the envelope into the mail tray, breathing a sigh of relief as she was able to bolt, unnoticed, back up the stairs. Louise's office door remained firmly shut.

Patsy listened to very little of what Barbara said over the course of the next 25 minutes or so; her mind was well and truly elsewhere. She glanced at the clock: 11:40. Just 20 minutes until the mail would go. Patsy began to fret; should she retrieve the letter and not send it, after all? She told herself not to be so ridiculous; she was an adult, she had no reason not to be honest with her father and, whilst the subject matter of the letter might be uncomfortable for both of them, it was a topic that should have been broached many years before. There was absolutely nothing unreasonable in her request and, deep down, Patsy knew that this was what her beloved mother would have wanted. That knowledge gave her the resolve to follow through.

Delia and Trixie did not return to the first floor until lunchtime. Patsy and Barbara eyed them cautiously but both appeared surprisingly unaffected by the morning's dialogue and chatted easily over lunch.

"So what have you two been up to, whilst Jenny was giving us the third degree over our mental and emotional well being?" asked Delia brightly.

"Oh you know, nothing much, just this and that..." mumbled Patsy impassively, refusing to meet Delia's eye. Her evasive manner was not lost on the astute brunette, however, who also did not miss the confused expression that crossed Barbara's face. She made a mental note to pry further as soon as she got the chance.

"So, did Jenny give you any indication as to when the jury might go out?" asked Patsy, keen to steer the conversation onto a new track.

"They think that there will probably be at least another day or so of evidence, then it'll be summing up and, after that, the jury will go out to start their deliberations. Who knows how long that will take." sighed Trixie wearily. "I just want it to be over now."

Patsy nodded sagely.

"So at least another week before we are likely to get the verdict...and then, assuming they are convicted, we'll have to wait for sentencing." she mused, addressing no one in particular.

"On the up side, at least we get the afternoon to ourselves, now," said Trixie with unbridled delight.

Barbara shook her head;

"'Actually Trix, I'm afraid we don't. Phyllis came up earlier and we are all expected downstairs at 2."

"What?"

"Oh no, not again! Haven't we suffered enough?"

"For the love of God, WHY?"

Barbara giggled in spite of herself.

"I bet that she'll be highly flattered that you are all so enthused at the prospect...Pats, I am sure that she would excuse you, if you're not feeling up to it."

Patsy felt her face turn an intense shade of crimson. Delia jumped on this immediately.

"Are you feeling rough?" she probed, eyeing her girlfriend in concern. "I thought that you were a bit quiet."

Patsy's mind raced. How on earth was she going to get around this one? She hated lying, it simply wasn't in her nature, but how could she tell the truth? That would open a whole can of worms for sure; besides, she honestly had nothing definitive to tell, well, not yet.

"I had a bit of a headache, that's all; I'm fine now," she insisted with as much conviction as she could muster. It wasn't a total lie; one could legitimately describe her earlier exercise as a metaphorical headache; it had certainly felt like one. Anyway, it was the best that she could come up with and, the only alternative to potentially hurting poor Barbara's feelings.

Within seconds of arriving in Phyllis' company, however, Patsy had begun to regret her altruism. To hell with Barbara's feelings, she really should have lied her way out of this. The middle aged northern woman appeared to consider herself to have been dispatched on some kind of mercy mission, no doubt prompted by the well meaning, but, in the girls' view, delusional Louise. The outfit that she was sporting was torturous in itself - if appearances were to be believed, Peacocks must have been having a clearance sale, in a bid to unburden itself of all surplus stock, dating back to the mid 1970s.

"What the actual fuck is she wearing?" muttered Trixie, from behind her strategically positioned hand. Patsy shook her head, biting hard on her lip to fend off the giggles that threatened.

"Oh Trix, call yourself a fashionista? Surely you know that floral prints are all the rage this summer?" she teased.

Trixie rolled her eyes,

"Trust me, nobody in Vogue is sporting THAT look...it looks as if the top was crafted from the curtains that used to hang in my grandmother's kitchen...and, don't get me started on the matching shorts! Dear Lord, talk about crimes against fashion. Maria von Trapp had nothing on our Phyllis."

"Enough chit chat now ladies," declared Phyllis assertively, "are we all ready? Find yourselves a space...your legs should be a comfortable distance apart, knees nice and soft, close your eyes and breathe deeply. Innnn, arms up...and ooouttt, arms down."

Patsy opened one eye and peered around her; at the front, Phyllis was the epitome of focus and control, her eyes firmly shut as she lifted her arms up and down, in time to her rhythmic breathing. To her right, Barbara was making a valiant, if somewhat self conscious, attempt at following suit, whilst, to her left, Delia was pretending to adjust her already immaculate ponytail; Trixie, on the other hand, stood, arms folded, staring at Phyllis, a look of utter contempt on her face.

"...and iiinnnnn...and ooouutttt..." continued the elder woman enthusiastically, clearly intent on saving their poor tortured souls.

Mumbling their thanks as they escaped, just over an hour later, all four fled up the stairs.

"I need a drink...a strong one," gasped Trixie, flinging open the fridge door, "and don't even think about telling me otherwise," she flashed at Barbara, who raised her hands defensively. I honestly think that the past hour was more excruciating than everything that we went through yesterday."

"Perhaps that was the idea," suggested Patsy, sarcastically; "you know, put things into perspective..."

"..or simply push us to drink so much that we can no longer remember any of it?..." interjected Trixie, seizing a bottle of white wine from the top shelf.

After dinner that evening, Delia, having observed Patsy's distracted demeanour for long enough, yawned audibly and stood up.

"I'm sorry girls but I am really flagging tonight," she admitted.

"Perhaps Phyllis really did achieve the desired effect," scoffed Trixie.

Delia smiled genially then turned to Patsy.

"Coming babe?..." Patsy appeared not to hear. "Patsy?" prompted Delia.

Patsy, who was still staring absent-mindedly across the room, paying very little attention, hastily checked herself and nodded.

"Yes, of course."

The two trooped up the stairs in silence; Delia sneaking a clandestine glance at the pre-occupied redhead. She was anxious to know what was troubling her, but knew that she needed to bide her time and pick her moment carefully, if she was going to persuade her innately reticent girl to confide in her. Once in their room, Delia disappeared into the bathroom and began brushing her teeth. Through the gap in the partially open door, she could see Patsy sat on her bed, her disconcerted expression still very much present. She frowned in concern, washed her face and then returned to the bedroom. Patsy said nothing but automatically rose and headed for the bathroom herself.

"You look exhausted," soothed Delia, as Patsy emerged. She held out her hand, inviting her to join her, the ever present twinkle of mischief in her eyes. Patsy couldn't help but smile and willingly allowed herself to be drawn into Delia's embrace. She sighed gratefully, as she lay her head on the brunette's shoulder, closing her eyes and breathing in her comforting scent.

"So are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" whispered Delia softly.

Patsy straightened up, painting an expression of surprise onto her face.

"Patsy!" warned Delia, "don't give me that...you haven't been yourself all day."

Patsy chewed her bottom lip, trying to decide how to proceed. It was perfectly evident from Delia's tone that the option of flat out denial was no longer on the table.

"Do you think that we are a product of our parents?" she asked, somewhat cryptically.

Delia raised her eyebrows, rather perplexed by this odd question.

"I presume that you are not expecting me to give you a lesson in biology here, Pats," she jested with a flirtatious smile.

Patsy, however, looked genuinely troubled and Delia rapidly adjusted her manner.

"I'm not sure that I understand what you mean, darling," she added gently.

"People talk about nature versus nurture, don't they?" continued Patsy.

Delia nodded.

"But my mum died when I was so young that I never had the opportunity to learn from her the things in life that really count - compassion, empathy, tenderness. I look so very much like my father; maybe I am just the same as him in other ways, too."

Delia was beginning to understand. She smiled sadly.

"Patsy, I may never have met your mother, but, I would be willing to put money on her having been a kind-hearted, genuinely loving and wonderfully caring individual. And, the reason I know this? Because that is exactly the person that you are. With everything that you have been through, it would have been understandable had you buried your compassion, in order to protect yourself from any further hurt and disappointments. You have been let down way too many times in your life, yet your incredible spirit shines through."

Patsy listened intently, her eyes glistening with tears as the sincerity of Delia's words permeated within her. She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

"You are a truly amazing woman Patience Mount; I could not have made it through the past few weeks without you by my side,"

Patsy swallowed hard,

"I am so afraid that I am going to let you down; that I won't be good enough," she croaked hoarsely.

Delia cupped her face.

"You are good enough Patsy, you are more than good enough, in fact. You are the one that I love and the one that I trust. Please, please believe me."

She paused and watched patiently as the tension began to slowly dissolve from Patsy's features.

"I have to tell you, I was only half putting it on when I said that I needed an early night. I really am done in, tonight. Will you cwtch me, Cariad?"

Patsy giggled, reminiscing as to how confused she had been the first time that she had heard that expression. The rest of the world might cuddle but her Delia cwtched, and Patsy loved it.

"Of course I will," she assured her, reaching out to help the weary brunette undress. She wasn't entirely convinced that Delia needed quite as much assistance as she was claiming to require, but Patsy, for one, was not going to object, a quasi reverential expression on her face as she peeled away her sweetheart's clothing, revealing the perfectly smooth skin that she so adored, before guiding her into bed. She then proceeded to shed her own clothes and climb in, her arms reaching longingly for her Welsh beauty, who latched on to her without hesitation.

"See what I mean, Pats," murmured Delia sleepily, "what more could I possibly want?"


	24. Dear Patience

A week had passed since Patsy had sent her letter and, so far, no reply had materialised. Her initial optimism had already started to wane; perhaps he simply wouldn't respond, it wouldn't exactly be the first time that he had disappointed her, she mused bitterly. In fact, on reflection, there were only two occasions each year when she could be sure that she would receive word from her father; one was her birthday and the other, Christmas. Even then, however, she was almost certain that this was purely because her Aunt Elizabeth made absolutely sure to remind him.

She tried her utmost to quash any remaining hopes and expectations; it simply wasn't worth building herself up, only to be struck by the pain of yet more rejection. She inhaled deeply, her face assuming an expression of controlled defiance. She reminded herself that she had managed thus far by herself; why on earth, therefore, would she need him now?

Hearing footsteps approaching the kitchen, Patsy quickly busied herself, reaching for the kettle and switching on the tap, in the hope that the noise of the running water would diminish her need to enter into conversation with whomever was about to join her. It appeared that her prayer was answered and she was just in the process of offering up a silent thank you, when a pair of arms slid around her waist and soft lips brushed against the exposed skin at the base of her neck.

"I've been looking for you," purred Delia.

Patsy forced herself to turn around and offered her best smile.

"You OK, cariad?" asked Delia, softly, "you looked a little sad."

"Of course!" replied Patsy quickly, "Now what can I do for you, young lady?" she added with a cheeky wink. Delia narrowed her eyes mischievously and Patsy laughed. "Oh, I do believe that I know that look...Splendid choice Miss Busby, tea it is then!"

The following day, the girls were just finishing lunch when they heard the familiar sound which indicated that Tom from the security lodge had brought the post.

"I'll go!" cried Barbara, jumping to her feet.

She reappeared a few moments later, out of breath from the speed at which she had scaled the stairs, clutching two envelopes in her hand. "One for Trix and one for you, Pats!"

Patsy spluttered on her mouthful of coffee, as the other three all looked at her in amazement. Patsy never got mail, not ever, not even so much as a postcard...inevitably her housemates were more than a little intrigued.

They watched expectantly but Patsy made no move to open her letter, simply folding it over and stuffing it into her pocket.

"Who's it from?" asked Barbara curiously.

"Not sure," lied Patsy.

"Well, aren't you going to open it?" demanded Trixie impatiently.

Patsy shook her head.

"I'll read it later," she muttered, returning her attention to her coffee.

Trixie tutted grouchily, whilst Delia eyed her quietly; her instincts told her that this must be a letter from her father, or possibly the aunt of whom Patsy had previously spoken, but it was painfully clear that her girlfriend was uncomfortable in the spotlight and the brunette was astute enough not to badger her.

In the end, it was another half an hour before Patsy was able to seize the opportunity to sneak off by herself. She had initially thought about heading for her bedroom, but, as she approached the stairs on the first floor landing, she had a last minute change of heart and found herself heading down to the ground floor instead. She was keen to ensure that she was not disturbed and, picking up the fob for the gate, she hurried down the meandering garden path.

Patsy's heart was racing and her stomach churning as she all but ran down the rocky steps that led to the sandy cove at the bottom. Without hesitation, she marched to her left, heading straight for the rocky outcrop where she had sought solace on her very first weekend at the house. She prised the envelope from her pocket and flattened it out, trying to calm her nerves as her eyes fell on the practically illegible yet familiar scrawl, which simply said 'Patience'.

"No time like the present, I suppose" she whispered to herself, as she ripped open the envelope and, with shaking hands, removed the single sheet of thick, embossed, writing paper that lay within. Opening it up, she skimmed the words before her:

"Dear Patience,

I refer to your letter of 31 July, the content of which I have noted. I am agreeable to your request and have forwarded the details to your Aunt Elizabeth. She will contact you directly, in due course, to make the necessary arrangements.

Kind regards

Father

PS: I have transferred additional funds, in case you should require them."

And that was it! Four measly lines and about as much emotion as one would leave on a note for the milkman. She read it again, anger surging through her veins. No acknowledgment of the news that she had shared; in all of the years that Patsy had spent at boarding school, then at university, and latterly in her flat, she had never once, in a letter to her father, mentioned anyone special, never referred to anyone by name. Surely, the very fact that she had taken the trouble to do so must have given him the clue as to how important Delia was to her. "Perhaps, he simply doesn't care," she uttered miserably, picking up a pebble and launching it as far out to the sea as she could.

"I have transferred additional funds, in case you should require them", she repeated furiously. "I DON'T WANT YOUR BLOODY MONEY!" she screamed, grabbing another pebble, followed by another, and hurling them angrily across the water. "WHY CAN'T YOU SEE THAT?"

Watching inconspicuously from across the sand was a small figure. Delia had been watching for Patsy to slip out and had followed her down to the beach, yet ensuring that she left enough distance so that she could remain unnoticed and would not intrude on Patsy's privacy. This display of raw emotion, however, was too painful for her to simply stand back and observe. Patsy's distress was so palpable that Delia's legs were carrying her towards the rocks, even before her brain had decided that this was what she was going to do.

Arriving silently at her girlfriend's side, Delia slid down and lay a reassuring hand on her arm, which was still raised as she pelted pebbles, in rapid succession, out into the water.

"Pats?" she soothed, trying to still her, "what did it say?"

Delia gestured at the discarded letter which lay crumpled on the rocks beside the redhead.

Patsy picked it up and handed it to her. Delia read it, her eyes widening in shock; the brevity of the script was appalling enough. But this was no note from a father to a daughter, this was a piece of business correspondence, as cold and dispassionate as anything she had ever seen. Her whole being ached for Patsy; the hurt and shame in her beloved girl's eyes so heartbreaking to have to witness.

"I'm so sorry, my darling," she whispered, "you deserve so much more than this."

Patsy started throwing pebbles again.

"It doesn't matter," she mumbled through gritted teeth.

"Yes, it does," said Delia kindly.

"I don't need him," hissed Patsy defiantly, biting her lip to banish the threatening tears.

"No, you don't need him, cariad, because you have me and I am going to be here to take care of you... forever."

The sincerity of Delia's promise prompted the floodgates to open and, in an instant, Patsy dropped her head into her hands, overcome by sobs.

Delia didn't miss a beat, her arms fastening tightly around the sobbing redhead, showering her with kisses and promises of eternal protection and devotion.

"PATSY! DELIA!"

Both turned to see Trixie and Barbara hurtling down the steps.

"The jury came back with their verdict. Superintendent Turner is on his way here."

Patsy quickly dried her tears and, allowing Delia to take her hand, she stood and followed her back across the rocks to the sandy expanse.

"Is everything OK?" asked Barbara cautiously, noting Patsy's red eyes and damp cheeks.

Delia nodded reassuringly at the concerned young woman whilst giving Patsy's hand a hidden squeeze.

"We were just having a chat," she remarked cheerfully; "nothing like a bit of sea air to clear your head! So did they give you any kind of clue as to the verdict?"

Trixie shook her head, clearly not remotely impressed at having been kept in the dark .

"Nothing!" she sighed. "I'm sure Louise knows; she said that she didn't, but I'm convinced that she wasn't telling me the truth."

Barbara frowned.

"Trix, I'm really not sure that Louise is the sort to lie..."

"Babe, that is because you think everyone is lovely; like you...most people aren't you know, even the ones who pretend that they are!" Trixie interjected tersely.

"Louise IS lovely," protested the ever loyal brunette.

"Look, let's not stand here deliberating about what we don't know. Shall we get back to the house and find out the facts?" prompted Delia with a degree of exasperation.

The four of them crashed in through the back door, looking around expectantly for any sign that Superintendent Turner might have arrived; they were to be sorely disappointed. It was Jenny who peered out of Louise's office.

"Sorry girls, he won't be here for at least another half an hour," she advised. All four faces dropped and they trooped towards the stairs.

"That can't be a good sign," muttered Trixie despondently.

"What can't?" queried Delia.

"Jenny! Like the bloody Angel of Death that woman! Always turns up when there is bad news to be broken."

"Trixie!" exclaimed Barbara reproachfully, but the blonde had sown a seed of pessimism in each of them and they continued up the stairs in silence.

Tea was made. Very little was actually drunk. Barbara and Delia took turns at the window, watching desperately for the first glimpse of a car, whilst Trixie ranted about how inhumane it was that she wasn't allowed a cigarette, even at a time like this. Whilst she was loathed to verbalise it, Patsy had to admit to herself that she shared the blonde's sentiment.

Finally, just before 3pm, they heard the distant clunk of the gates and the sound of a car engine.

"He's here!" said Delia, spinning round, her face suddenly devoid of colour.

All four girls were gripped by terror; this was it, the culmination of weeks of waiting and wondering. Their lives had been interrupted, put on hold even, by the need to protect them, whilst those responsible were put on trial. Now, in a matter of minutes, they would find out whether justice had prevailed and whether any of this personal sacrifice had been worth it.

"Do we go down?" asked Barbara nervously. The others shrugged, each waiting for someone else to take the lead.

"Oh, you have to be kidding me! That just crowns it. What the hell is she doing back?" exploded Trixie from her position near the window.

"Who?" Barbara enquired, looking worried.

"That Cynthia woman; the one that came with me and Deels to the court. Complete wet blanket and about as much use as a chocolate teapot," she snorted. "You wait, Phyllis will probably show up next. This is turning into some kind of macabre episode of 'This is your Life'."

Eventually Jenny came up the stairs and requested that they make their way down to the meeting room. They each glanced at each other, united in fear and it was the erstwhile silent Patsy who finally initiated some activity.

"Come on girls," she commanded firmly, "we may as well face it, whatever it is. At least we're in this together."

Delia glanced proudly at her beautiful, courageous Patsy and took her hand, prompting the other two to follow.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, they were greeted by Louise, her face unreadable as she ushered them into the meeting room. The took their seats, scanning the faces before them, desperately trying to gain some hint from any one of them as to what they might be about to learn. Delia and Patsy linked hands trying to draw courage from each other as they waited for Louise to take her seat between Superintendent Turner and Jenny.

Receiving a nod from Louise, Patrick opened the sheet of paper that he was holding and began:

"Rafi Karim - guilty on all counts."

Trixie let out a gasp.

"Hamid Karim - guilty on all counts."

Delia and Patsy gripped hands more and more tightly as each name was read out.

"Greg Pennington - guilty on all counts."

Barbara's eyes widened in shock

"Robert "Razor" Brown - guilty on all counts."

For a split second, there was silence as the girls digested what they had just been told, then, almost simultaneously, Barbara burst into tears, Trixie swore triumphantly and Patsy and Delia fell shakily into each other's arms.

Patrick gave them a few moments before he continued.

"The jury reached unanimous verdicts for each of them. All four have been remanded, pending sentencing which has been set for 2 weeks from today. The judge told them that they should all expect to receive lengthy custodial sentences." His gaze fell on Trixie and Delia. "He also took a moment to commend the courage of the witnesses who had come forward and given evidence. Well done ladies." His praise was sincere and he paused momentarily, observing the young women before him; their pale faces contorted with a mixture of relief, elation and exhaustion.

"Congratulations ladies, you have played your part in ensuring that justice was done," smiled Louise stepping forwards to hug each of them in turn. "You should all be extremely proud of yourselves, as we are of you."

"They'll appeal though, won't they?" asked Barbara, her anxiety quickly surfacing again. "They are never going to just roll over and take this."

Patrick nodded slowly,

"That's quite probable, but I was in court throughout the trial and the evidence against them was so damning that it is unlikely that an appeal is going to change the outcome, in this case."

"So that spineless, lying bastard is definitely going to jail?" confirmed Trixie, almost afraid to accept a reality that, to her, seemed too unfathomably wonderful to be true.

"Yes," replied Patrick firmly, "it's over!"


	25. Time to celebrate (Part 1)

"Yes" replied Patrick firmly, "it's over."

All four women sat in silence, save for Barbara's muffed sobs; the finality of what they had just been told too much to take in. Louise, Jenny, Patrick and Cynthia waited patiently, watching the myriad of emotions play out across their faces.

"Is there anything that you would like to ask us?" asked Louise gently.

"What happens now?" stammered Delia nervously. All these months they had cursed what had felt like imprisonment and now, with events almost having reached their decisive conclusion, they suddenly felt uneasy, daunted by the prospect of venturing beyond the confines of the grounds. The four of them had become almost institutionalised, so attuned were they to their restrictive surroundings, rendering them inexplicably terrified of the world beyond.

Louise smiled kindly, sensing their apprehension.

"Nothing, just yet," she reassured them. "We understand that you will need a bit of time to put arrangements in place; besides, we would not wish you to leave before sentencing has taken place. It is important that the court process is completed."

She watched the relief flood their faces before continuing.

"I think that, tonight, a little celebration is in order,"

All four looked back at her, intrigued.

"It's a lovely evening and Fred is a dab hand in charge of a barbecue; I think that we should permit him to showcase his talents this evening."

She paused, uncertain as to the reaction that this suggestion might receive and was pleasantly surprised as all four faces broke into wide smiles.

"That would be lovely," gushed Barbara, genuinely delighted at the prospect.

"Good, then that's decided; let's reconvene at...say 7:30... And please, if any of you wishes to talk to us at any time, don't hesitate. We honestly do understand that this is an awful lot to take in and you may have many questions as time goes on."

Up in their bedroom Patsy reclined on her bed watching in amusement as Delia rifled through her wardrobe.

"I just can't decide," sighed the brunette despondently.

Patsy got up, strode purposefully across the room and reached for a sleeveless pale blue dress, patterned with delicate white flowers.

"This one," she nodded decisively, passing her the garment. Delia cocked her head and considered the dress before glancing up at Patsy, who raised her eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, OK," she giggled. "But, in that case, I get to choose yours..."

She marched to Patsy's wardrobe and immediately honed in on an emerald coloured satin number, an elegant dress that Delia had previously admired on the redhead, fully appreciating the way the smooth fabric clung to the curves of her breasts before flowing out gracefully from her waist.

Patsy shrugged dubiously.

"Ok, if you say so."

Delia lay the dress on Patsy's bed before stalking back over to her.

"Pats, since I am going to have to spend the next few hours satisfied with admiring you fully clothed and, let's be honest, from more of a distance than I would like, I am going to have to insist that you wear your sexiest dress."

Patsy blushed; even now, she could not reconcile herself to the concept that someone could find her sexy. She was still processing the thought as Delia fastened her arms around her neck and continued.

"You see, I have quite another form of celebration in mind, my darling, and I have to tell you that it doesn't involve Louise or Jenny,... or even Fred and his talented tongs!" she added with a laugh

Patsy smiled shyly. Delia positioned her mouth millimetres from Patsy's ear.

"...but it does feature me removing your very beautiful green dress and discovering all the different ways that I can bring you pleasure," she whispered, biting gently on Patsy's earlobe, eliciting a soft moan of longing from the redhead.

The four young women gathered on the landing, just before 7:30pm. Much of the tension of the past few weeks had now vanished; their smiles now wider and infinitely more genuine. Trixie appeared the most transformed; the deep-seated anger and hurt that had previously been a permanent feature behind her striking blue eyes was no more. She happily linked arms with her room mate as they made their way down the stairs, their mouths instantly beginning to water as the aroma of chargrilled food filtered through the door on the ground floor.

Out in the garden, Fred was, as promised, in command of the barbecue, albeit sporting a disturbingly feminine apron, adorned with butterflies. Patsy was just about to pass comment when Tom approached carrying a tray of what appeared to be champagne. Trixie, Patsy and Delia all pounced eagerly, whilst the reticent Barbara took a little more persuasion.

"Sweetie, go on, you deserve it; one glass won't hurt you and I promise you, I will make sure that you make it safely to bed tonight," Trixie assured her.

Delia bent in close to Patsy,

"Don't worry, I promise that I'll make sure that you get to bed tonight too, Pats" she winked.

Whilst initially slightly guarded, the four women gradually began to relax in the company of Louise, Jenny, Tom, Fred, Cynthia and Patrick. Trixie made a beeline for Tom, much to Delia's amusement; the vivacious blonde full of flirtatious smiles and animated conversation, which was keenly reciprocated by the handsome young security guard. Fred's gourmet grilling did not disappoint and, having feasted on chicken wings, burgers, vegetable skewers, corn on the cob and a generous helping of Louise's highly acclaimed home-made coleslaw, they had each collapsed gratefully into a garden chair.

Trixie found herself sat alongside Cynthia and fidgeted uncomfortably. She knew that she has behaved badly during her previous encounters with the diminutive officer and felt extremely embarrassed.

"May I say thank you?" she started quietly. Cynthia looked around in surprise.

"Sorry?"

"Thank you, for supporting us at the court, and especially for putting up with me. I am sorry that I was so awful."

Cynthia smiled pleasantly.

"Oh Trixie, you weren't awful, you were scared. I promise you, I wasn't remotely offended."

Trixie smiled in relief.

"Thank you. I think that I have just felt like the whole world was against me for such a long time. It's hard to believe that anyone actually wants to help," she admitted.

Cynthia nodded.

"Of course; you have been through the most trying time imaginable. Someone that you trusted betrayed you in the most appalling fashion. That's not something that you can be expected to forget quickly."

Trixie was touched by the small woman's empathy and compassion, and found herself reciprocating with an unexpectedly tearful smile of gratitude.

Meanwhile Delia and Patsy had drawn closer together, finding it increasingly difficult to contain their longing for each other.

"How much longer do you think we need to stay?" whispered Delia into Patsy's shoulder as she plucked away an imaginary stray hair.

Patsy shook her head and yawned.

"Don't you dare!" chided Delia, "Of all the things I have planned for tonight, I can assure you that sleeping is not one of them."

Patsy giggled nervously and went to grab some more wine for them both, smiling politely at Louise, who was sat nearby, chatting with Barbara.

Just before 10, Tom stood up and excused himself; he was due to start his night shift over at the security lodge. Trixie looked ever so slightly bereft, but consoled herself with another glass of wine, before settling back down alongside Cynthia, with whom, in the space of the past few hours, she had developed quite the kinship. However, having had a long day themselves, and with a lengthy journey home ahead of them, Cynthia and Patrick soon stood to leave too.

Trixie picked up her glass of wine and strolled across the garden, listening contentedly to the distant sound of the waves, feeling at peace with the world for the first time in many many months. She had no idea where she would go when she left the house; she had no job to return to and certainly had no desire to return to the neighbourhood where she and Rafi had lived and socialised; that would be positively unbearable. She found herself heading towards the summer house and perched on the porch swing, still contemplating her future.

"Penny for them?"

Trixie had been so lost in her thoughts that she had failed to notice the redhead approaching.

"Oh hi Pats, just wondering what the future has in store for me," she shrugged nonchalantly.

Patsy nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, it's certainly going to be strange."

"But you and Delia are going to stay together, aren't you?"

From her tone of voice, Trixie clearly deemed the alternative to be a preposterous course of action.

"I mean, you two are simply made for each other..." she added with a misty smile.

Patsy shifted uncomfortably.

"I really do hope so, Trix..." she muttered, doing her best to disguise any hint of anxiety in her voice, as she gazed affectionately at the vivacious Welsh woman who was engaged in an animated conversation with Jenny on the opposite side of the garden. "She truly is the best thing that has ever happened to me," she professed with absolute sincerity.

The sun had long since set and the garden was now shrouded in darkness, the only light, coming from the passageway just beyond the back door, and the handful of tea lights that had been placed sporadically along the table. Fred was in the process of cooling the barbecue coals whilst Jenny and Louise appeared to be preparing to say their good nights, shooing both Delia and Barbara away when they dutifully tried to assist them with the clearing away of plates and glasses.

With their offers of assistance having been graciously declined, the two young women traced the path across to the summer house, to join their housemates, Delia opting, with neither hesitation nor permission, to climb onto Patsy's lap.

"You two really are insufferably cute together," teased Trixie with a grin, as the small brunette nuzzled into her girlfriend's shoulder, shivering slightly.

"It is getting a bit chilly, isn't it," observed Barbara, "time to go in, maybe?"

Reaching the first floor landing, Trixie hesitated.

"Does anyone want a cuppa, or are you all headed for bed?"

Delia groaned inwardly, wondering how much longer she would have to wait before she would be granted the alone time with her beloved that she so desperately craved. Luck, or in this case Barbara, was on her side, however. The younger woman shook her head;

"Not for me thanks Trix, I am ready to go up."

"Hmm," muttered Delia casually, seizing the opportunity to piggy back, "me neither, champagne always seems to render me fit for nothing other than bed," she commented, her face the picture of innocence. Patsy disguised her giggle of disbelief at her girlfriend's brazenness with an exaggerated cough, as they all continued up the second flight of stairs.

"You are so naughty," chuckled Patsy, closing the bedroom door firmly behind her.

Delia grinned.

"I don't know what you mean. Am I to be held responsible for your errant mind, Ms Mount?" she commented slyly.


	26. Time to celebrate (Part 2)

***This chapter is of a more adult nature than what has gone before. Please do not proceed if you are likely to be offended.***

With the door securely locked, Patsy suddenly felt incredibly nervous as she turned to face the object of her desire. Delia, however, had decided that she had waited more than long enough already.

"Come here, Patsy" she commanded smoothly, drawing her towards her, "you looked unbelievable tonight, my darling," she murmured, reaching up to caress her cheeks, allowing her fingers to trace along her jaw, as she leant in for a soft, sensual kiss. Patsy blushed, her eyes giving away her inner apprehension. "Don't be nervous, cariad, just relax and let me guide you, OK?"

Patsy nodded trustingly, closing her eyes as Delia's lips sought hers again.

For Patsy, kissing Delia was far more than simply an expression of affection and desire; it was an act from which the redhead drew confidence and the courage to express herself; the blissful sensation of connecting with those soft, inviting lips serving to evoke a bolder, more emotionally demonstrative side of her. Her innately reserved nature was gradually being swept away as the already smouldering passion within her was fully ignited, her hands instinctively grasping for Delia's shoulders, eagerly drawing her closer.

"That was one hell of a long evening," grumbled Delia, pulling Patsy impatiently towards the bed, "you looking so bloody gorgeous, and me not being able to touch you."

She pushed Patsy down onto the bed, kissing her hungrily.

"Time to rectify that," she whispered huskily, straddling the redhead.

Patsy sighed happily; whilst she was uncertain as to the ride on which her zealous lover was about to take her, she was resolutely secure in the knowledge that she wanted to be onboard for this journey of infinite discovery.

Sitting back slightly, a devious smile gracing her face, Delia reached for the zip on the side of Patsy's dress. The redhead shifted obligingly to allow her access and willingly sat forwards as her girlfriend eased the satin fabric deftly over her head. For the first time, Delia saw no trace of uncertainty in Patsy's expression; quite the contrary, in fact. The redhead's eyes were alive with yearning and locking her gaze with Delia she pulled her back down, kissing her deeply, her tongue probing eagerly, her hands grappling lower, determined to find entry beneath Delia's dress and access the smooth, delicate flesh of her thighs. Delia groaned wantonly as she felt the redhead's touch against her sensitive skin.

"Off," begged Patsy, tugging desperately at Delia's dress. The brunette raised herself onto her knees and slithered out of her shift, grinning at Patsy's expression of unashamed lust. She dipped her head, tracing kisses down Patsy's neck, skirting along her collar bone, whilst her hands eased the redhead's bra strap down off her shoulder. Patsy shuddered at the sensation, her legs clamping tightly around Delia's right thigh, in a desperate bid to satisfy her ever increasing arousal; her hands, meanwhile, set to work on Delia's bra strap, fumbling clumsily in her urgency to discard the superfluous garment. Delia giggled at Patsy's growl of frustration, but her mirth was quickly replaced by a gasp of pleasure as the redhead finally mastered the clasp and eased the bra forwards, allowing the cool air to assault her already highly sensitised nipples.

"Delia, you are exquisite," murmured Patsy in admiration, her fingers almost reverential in their touch. She stretched up to capture her girlfriend's lips again, delighting in the feel of her naked breasts against her, as she pulled her close. Delia's hands instantly honed in on Patsy's bra strap, quickly unclipping it and tearing it away.

"Oh Patsy!" she gasped, dragging her lips from the redhead's mouth in pursuit of her freshly released breasts. Kissing and licking from her lover's neck, she traced a route to her right breast, her eager tongue relishing the feel of Patsy's firm nipples, her enjoyment heightened further by the vociferous moans and gasps she was eliciting from the now helpless redhead.

"Delia," stammered Patsy weakly. The brunette glanced up without pausing; Patsy's eyes were tightly shut, her lips quivering, clearly entirely absorbed by the sensations that Delia was skilfully administering. Smiling to herself, Delia shuffled lower, her kisses now trailing across Patsy's lower abdomen.

Sensing that the fearfulness that had plagued Patsy during their early days together had diminished, Delia felt confident that she could proceed. Her fingers skimmed the outline of Patsy's knickers whilst she gently kissed and nipped her way up the redhead's inner thigh. Patsy whimpered, her breathing ragged, as she felt Delia's hot breath and warm tongue edge ever closer to her need. Lying there almost completely naked, a tiny voice was nagging at the back of Patsy's mind, telling her to pull back, to hide herself, reminding her that she should be terrified, but the redhead was so overwhelmed by the onslaught of pleasure at that moment, that she neither could, nor wanted to ponder her current state of vulnerability. She trusted Delia implicitly and, when the brunette stripped away her knickers, and parted her legs, the high pitched squeal that escaped her lips signified not fear, but urgent anticipation of what she knew was to come.

Initially teasing the redhead with tantalisingly featherlight flicks of her tongue, Delia paused momentarily to gauge her girlfriend's reaction. Patsy sucked in a sharp intake of breath her hands flying to her face, covering her eyes as her thighs trembled uncontrollably, instinctively pulling back together.

"Hey.." whispered Delia, stroking her upper legs soothingly, spreading them again "...just relax baby."

Patsy forced her hands away from her face and peered shyly at the brunette.

"Delia, I..." she muttered self consciously.

"Patsy, you are breathtakingly beautiful," Delia assured her, fixing her with her deep blue eyes and a indulgent smile. "I could not want you more than I do right at this moment...let me show you just how much I love you."

Maintaining eye contact as she lowered her mouth again, Delia began an eager exploration deep within Patsy's core. Administering long languid strokes and soft tender kisses, she expertly heightened the redhead's arousal. Patsy gulped, her hands grabbing frantically for the edge of the duvet, unable to still her hips which had commenced an involuntary, frenzied dance.

"Delia!"

Patsy's pitiful plea resonated with her lover who reached up to offer the comfort of her hand. Patsy grasped it tightly, grateful for the connection; she needed to feel that Delia was right there with her, sharing this journey into uncharted yet wonderful new territory.

Delia wasn't stopping, however, determined that Patsy should understand just how wonderful it could feel to be loved and to have that love demonstrated without reservation. She continued with her loving caresses, swirling her tongue over the redhead's electrified sensitivity.

Patsy moaned, now emboldened enough to reach out for Delia's head, gripping onto her hair and in so doing, applying the extra pressure needed to push her to the brink. Delia felt her darling girl start to tense and smiled to herself as Patsy crumbled beneath her touch. The redhead released a strangled gasp of shocked ecstasy as she collapsed back into the bed, breathing hard.

Delia was quick to scramble back up beside her girl, keen to ensure that she be there to provide reassurance should it be needed. Patsy's eyes were still squeezed tightly shut but she sensed her lover's presence and rolled in to her, nuzzling her head against her neck. Delia said nothing but held her securely in her arms, waiting for her to recover. When Patsy was finally able to speak again, her voice was little more than a croak.

"How did you do that?" she stammered hoarsely.

Delia chuckled softly and stroked her cheek.

"Magic," she teased, planting a kiss on the end of her nose.

Finally regaining the ability to formulate sentences, Patsy lifted her head, her face still an image of shocked wonderment.

"That was incredible, Deels; I have never felt anything like it."

Delia rewarded her with a blissful smile.

"You were amazing, Pats," she whispered affectionately.

Patsy raised herself onto her elbow, reaching across to capture Delia's lips; she knew what she wanted to do, no question about that; she just wasn't quite sure that she knew how to go about it and was fearful of making a complete fool of herself. Looking deep into Delia's tender eyes, however, she felt the tiniest trace of confidence slowly start to return.

"I'm scared that I might hurt you," she mumbled hesitantly.

Delia shook her head,

"You won't cariad," she whispered, "trust me, just follow your instincts."

Patsy steeled herself and taking a shaky breath to gather her courage, she instigated a deep and passionate kiss, her hands sliding easily through Delia's silky tresses. Delia moaned into Patsy's mouth, instinctively arching her back savouring the sensation of the touch of their nipples. Skimming downwards, her hands brushing lightly over Delia's heaving breasts, Patsy's fingers reached the frivolous lace, the final item of clothing remaining between the two.

Patsy shot a hasty glance at her girlfriend, who nodded furiously.

"Please..." she gasped, lifting her hips.

Patsy obliged, drawing them torturously slowly over her thighs as Delia whimpered, desperate to feel the redhead's touch. Patsy permitted herself a small smile, tossed the underwear aside and resumed her position on her side, her fingers lazily traversing the brunette's stomach and teasing her thighs, all the while deliberately avoiding venturing where they were most desired.

Delia squirmed, pleading with Patsy.

"Cariad...please," she panted.

Finally, Patsy conceded, allowing her fingers to ride over the mound of soft curls and slip into the silky folds beyond. Both women released simultaneous cries of pleasure, the novice redhead relishing her first precious touch. This was new and deliciously exciting for Patsy who quickly proved herself surprisingly adept at pleasuring her girl.

"Yes," gasped Delia, rocking her hips, "oh Patsy, darling...that's wonderful, please, please don't stop."

Patsy was transfixed, as the brunette threw her head back, her face flushed and her body pulsing with desire. She watched in awe, savouring the fact that she, alone, was bringing her darling Delia ever closer to climax. The redhead continued, intensifying the pressure ever so slightly, as she drove the brunette to new heights of pleasure.

"Come here," pleaded Delia, dragging her back into a passionate kiss. Gasping for breath, Delia pulled her lips from Patsy's mouth and shifted to her ear.

"Patsy, I...I need you to...please darling, I need you inside me," she stammered, her voice little more than a strangled whisper.

Patsy eyes widened, unprepared for this heartfelt plea. She masked her apprehension by reaching down to kiss her girl again then, doing her best to control her shaking hands, she ventured lower, finding no resistance as her fingers slid easily into Delia's soft, welcoming warmth. The brunette's hips jolted at the action; she writhed shamelessly, unable to focus on anything other than the blissful sensations that Patsy was initiating.

In a matter of minutes, Patsy felt Delia tighten around her fingers her, the brunette's finger nails digging hard into her back as Delia released a breathless whine and fell back onto the bed.

"Oohhmyyyggooddd, Patsy," she wheezed, a look of delight creeping onto her flushed face. "You are so bloody good at that."

Patsy blushed, stunned yet secretly delighted by what she had just done.

"It was OK?" she asked shyly, despite the overwhelming evidence that suggested that no such question need be asked.

Delia laughed and pulled her close,

"Patsy...do I really need to answer that darling?"


	27. What does the future hold?

The night that passed was unlike any that Patsy had ever known before. Delia had patiently and sensitively helped her to discover so many new and wonderful delights. Delia was tireless in her encouragement instilling a sense of security in the hitherto uncertain redhead. For her part, Patsy proved herself to be a most willing student, her earlier self consciousness fading as she revelled in the opportunity to lovingly explore every inch of her darling Welsh girl. The morning sun was already starting to creep over the horizon when they finally succumbed to sleep, hair dishevelled, limbs entwined.

Unsurprisingly they were late to rise the following day and, from the sound effects that they had been unable to avoid overhearing the previous evening, neither Trixie nor Barbara was in any doubt as to the reason for their delayed appearance, and they certainly had no intention of disturbing them.

"What time is it?" murmured Patsy, feeling Delia stir alongside her. The brunette swept her tangled tresses back off her face, as she reluctantly prised her legs away from Patsy's and stretched for her watch.

"Nearly 11," she yawned.

"What?" gasped Patsy in horror, making as if to jump out of bed.

She didn't get very far; Delia's arm shot out and grabbed her around her waist, yanking her firmly back down beside her.

"Where do you think you're going?" she demanded.

Patsy spun round to look at the brunette, whose eyes were relaxed and brimming with mischief.

"Sweetheart, it's Saturday," she reminded her, "Besides, it's not good form to just bail out of bed, especially after a night like that... come here!"

Patsy felt her tension subside as she was quickly sucked back under her girlfriend's spell, submitting to a soft, languid kiss.

"Well, good morning!" commented Trixie, raising her eyebrows as the two women stumbled into the kitchen, "you two look as though you had an eventful night."

Patsy's face flushed crimson. Shedding her inhibitions around Delia was one thing; she was not, however, prepared for this degree of scrutiny from her other housemates.

Delia was unfazed.

"Ignore her Pats; she's just jealous!" she grinned, sauntering across and flicking on the kettle.

"Tea!" sighed Delia dreamily, collapsing into a chair and grinning happily as she took the first slurp of her scalding hot brew. Patsy smiled adoringly, admiring the way that her Delia could find unmitigated pleasure in the most simple of every day things. She set about making toast, thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to embrace this new-found domesticity. She couldn't stop her mind from wandering, imagining what her future could be, dreaming of setting up home with Delia, waking up together every morning, sharing the smallest simplicities of everyday living, treasuring the tiniest trivialities of life and together, creating a world of unbreakable love and security.

She was still mid daydream when Barbara crashed back through the door, clutching a handful of mail. The other three looked around in surprise.

"I didn't hear the door go," commented Trixie.

Barbara shook her head,

"It didn't, I think Louise was outside and met Fred on his way up the drive."

She glanced down and passed out the envelopes - one for Trixie, two for Delia,

"And one for you, Pats."

Patsy's eyes widened in shock.

"This is getting to be a bit of a habit," teased Trixie, "Are you sure Delia doesn't have competition out there?"

Delia began to giggle good naturedly, but something about the look on Patsy's face stopped her. At the arrival of the mail, the redhead's relaxed demeanour had been instantly extinguished, Patsy now looked distinctly pale and uncomfortable. Delia suddenly wished that she could find a way to get the others to leave so that she could rush to her girlfriend's side and help her to work through whatever storm of emotions she was so obviously trying to combat.

Patsy had recognised the handwriting on the envelope at once; the slightly old fashioned, cursive script was a style that she knew well. This was the correspondence that she had been expecting, although admittedly it had materialised a heck of a lot sooner than she had anticipated. She was nervous; no, if truth be told, she was petrified, but it was a very different fear from that which she had experienced when her father's letter had arrived a few days previously. Aunt Elizabeth was always sensitive and infinitely kind, perhaps even to a fault. There had been occasions when the kindness of her well-meaning Aunt had starkly and painfully highlighted the affection that was so lacking in Patsy's relationship with the only remaining member of her immediate family. She knew full well that this letter would be nothing, if not sympathetic and generous.

It was, however, less the tone and more the potential content that scared her - the news within that had the ability to set in motion the most life changing sequence of events. It meant revisiting her past and facing memories which she had shut away for so many years; but if she was going to move forwards to the future that she so craved, then she would have to be strong. She reflected on her tried and tested attitude of diffidence and indifference; this had always seen her through challenging times in the past. Would it hold firm, though? Now that she had opened her heart and bared so much of her soul to Delia, Patsy was uncertain as to whether she could prevent her facade from crumbling.

Then there was the other worry; it had been niggling away at her for some time now. Over the recent weeks, Patsy had found herself wondering increasingly about Delia's past dalliances. The Welsh girl had a thoroughly refreshing heart on sleeve approach to almost all aspects of her life but, in her efforts to protect Patsy's fragile sense of security, she had omitted to elaborate on her previous lovers, and, to be fair, Patsy had been too afraid to ask her directly. It had almost become an unspoken agreement, but as the weeks went on, both knew that, eventually, questions would need to be posed and answers conceded.

Patsy glanced up and realised that Delia was watching her in concern. She forced a strained smile and, stuffing the envelope into her pocket, she turned her attention back to her tea, making a feeble and somewhat unsuccessful attempt to divert the topic of conversation. Trixie and Delia both set about opening their own mail, Trixie squealing gleefully as she read the letter that she had received from her friend, whilst Delia sat, screwing her nose up in disgust as she read the first of her letters.

"Mam wants me to join them in Spain, She says she will send me the money for the flight.."

"Oh how lovely," gushed Barbara, whilst Patsy felt her heart sink. She hurriedly swigged the rest of her tea and excused herself. She needed to read her letter, without any further delay.

"My Dear Patsy,

I was so thrilled to hear word from your father, advising me that the trial is now over and that, consequently, you will soon be leaving the house where you have been afforded such valuable protection and security. Hearing the news of the guilty verdicts was such an enormous relief to me; I can only imagine what a burden this must have lifted from your shoulders.

I was particularly delighted to learn that finally, you feel ready to fulfil your darling mother's wish. I realise that this will have been a mightily difficult decision to reach, but I do feel certain that returning to "Ridges" is absolutely the right move for you.

Your father also mentioned that you had a companion who would be joining you, although typically he did not offer any further detail. How so very like him to stick to the plainest of facts. You must forgive your old aunt for excitedly musing the possibility that my beautiful niece has finally met a handsome gentleman friend, one worthy of her and destined to bring her much happiness. I know that it would have made your mother so proud and so happy to see you fall in love. I am sure that she is smiling as she watches over you.

I understand that you will not be in a position to relocate until the sentencing has been completed; I must say that I think this extremely sensible. This also gives me time to ensure that everything is in order for you when the time comes. I must confess that I have not been up to "Ridges" for several months; the house has just seemed so empty and lifeless of late that I could hardly bear it. Oh Patsy, how I long to see you back in your rightful family home, filling the rooms with music and laughter. I had begun to wonder if you would ever feel ready to return.

Now, my dear, do make sure that you let me know, by return of letter, when you know the date on which you will move. I tend to fill my days with a little volunteering, the odd coffee morning and charity sales, however, I will be sure to clear my diary for you, and, of course, your companion!

With every good wish and much love,

Your affectionate Aunt Elizabeth"

Patsy stared silently at the letter, uncertain as to how to react. The principal emotion was one of complete disappointment. Not with her aunt, who had, as expected, responded with sincere enthusiasm and genuine delight. No, it was, once again, her father who was the source of her melancholy. After the time that she had spent carefully crafting her letter to him, telling him all about her beautiful Delia and going to great pains to detail just how important she was to her and what a huge difference she had made in her life, her father had neglected to even assign a sex to her "companion" in his own script to her Aunt.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Delia, the brunette's expression revealing her concern.

"Pats, tell me about your letter?" she prompted, fully expecting to be brushed off.

To her surprise, however, Patsy took a deep breath, and stood up.

"Will you come for a walk with me? I need to talk to you about something important."

Delia nodded instantly, reaching out to take Patsy's hand.

They walked in silence down into the garden, Delia doing her utmost to maintain a calm demeanour and avoid making Patsy feel rushed in any way, despite her burning curiosity to understand what was troubling her girl. She peeked out of the corner of her eye and observed the disquiet ravaging the red head's features. She said nothing but very subtly adjusted the position of her hand to allow her to stroke Patsy's palm with her thumb, offering the faintest hint of reassurance. Patsy cleared her throat and Delia waited expectantly, but the redhead appeared to falter and no words came.

"Do you want to sit down?" suggested Delia, still compelled by a need to try and ease her girlfriend's evident anxiety. Patsy shook her head and they wandered on.

"Tell me about your other girlfriends," she blurted out.

Delia stopped in surprise,

"Pats?"

Patsy looked her square on, her eyes wide; she may have been the one to ask the question but she was intensely fearful of hearing the answer.

"Have you had lots? What were they like? Did you love them? Why did you break up?"

Delia took a deep breath, frantically trying to sort the barrage of questions in her mind; she had certainly not expected the conversation to take this tack and felt completely unprepared.

"There weren't so many of them," she started quietly, "only really two significant partners."

Patsy looked petrified, her face drained of colour.

"Did I love them? I suppose that I thought I did at the time," she told her calmly, "I was young, it was all so new and exciting and if I'm honest, I think that I wanted to to believe that it was the real thing."

"And was it?" Patsy was struggling to suppress the desperation in her voice.

Delia stopped walking and, taking hold of Patsy's other hand, she turned her to face her.

"No," she said in a quiet but firm voice. "Whatever I may have thought at the time, whatever I may have wanted to believe...the day I met you...Patsy, I have never experienced a love like I have for you, cariad."

Delia reached up to touch Patsy's cheek, smiling lovingly at her.

"Sometimes it scares me...I don't think I could bear to live without you."

Patsy released a breath that she had, hitherto, been unaware that she was holding. Delia looked closely at her, hoping to see relief flood her girlfriend's face, but the worry lines that creased the redhead's brow told her that the anxiety was yet to be fully banished. Patsy refused to meet Delia's eyes, fidgeting nervously as she glanced across the garden, into the distance.

"So...are you going to go to Spain?"

Delia looked stunned, "What?"

Patsy shook her head.

"It's alright, you can tell me, I will understand..." she gabbled, her words tumbling out far too quickly.

Delia could not contain the incredulous laugh that escaped her.

"Are you serious? PATSY!"

The redhead stared at the floor, battling to fight back the tears that were stinging her eyes and raised her trembling hands to her face.

"Oh good grief Pats, is that what you thought? My darling girl...my crazy, sweet girl. I am not going ANYWHERE, well not without you anyway. You are my future. I don't want to have to spend a single day without you..."

Delia wrapped her arms around her and held her tightly.

"Please believe me."

Delia eased herself back and smiled at her girl.

"Are you going to stop worrying now?" she asked gently.

Patsy shuddered as she fought to quash the sobs that had been threatening.

"There's something else..."

Her voice sounded strained and hoarse.

Delia eyed her curiously, noticing that Patsy had reached down and prised her letter from her pocket. Again she was patient whilst the redhead struggled to find words.

"So you really do want to set up home with me?"

The uncertainty in her voice melted Delia's heart.

"Yes, sweetheart, I really do."

Patsy nodded.

"So?" prompted Delia watching as Patsy crumpled the envelope nervously between her fingers.

Patsy stayed silent.

"Do I have to guess?" teased Delia gently.

Patsy frowned uncomfortably,

"It's nothing really...well, it's just I have somewhere that we could live, maybe...I mean, you may not like it, but perhaps we could go and look at it...see what you think. No pressure of course..."

She was rambling but Delia was gradually starting to make sense of it.

"Pats...do you have a house? Is that what you are trying to tell me, darling?"

Patsy's cheeks flushed.

"I just thought that...well, maybe it could be..like...our house, you know. But only if you like it..."

Delia's eyes lit up.

"Our house?" Delia paused, a smile spreading across her face as she contemplated these words, "Yes, I think I like the sound of that!"


	28. Everybody gets scared sometimes

Patsy knew that she needed to write back to her aunt; moreover, she knew that time was running out. With just three days remaining until the sentencing, she was feeling decidedly uneasy; she had to have some sort of plan in place or she and Delia were running the risk of finding themselves residing at the local Travelodge for the foreseeable future. The excitement that had exuded from the small brunette from the moment she had realised exactly what Patsy had been struggling to tell her, had caused a surge of relief to course through the redhead's being. For days, Delia had been unable to wipe the wide smile from her face; she had chattered endlessly about colour schemes and decor, relishing the opportunity to plan every little detail of her, as yet unseen, new home, either oblivious to, or, at the very least, unperturbed by Patsy's guarded responses to her barrage of eager requests for details. Delia's enthusiasm and excitement were positively palpable, but the smile that graced Patsy's face as she listened to the brunette's incessant babble, stretched no further than her lips.

"You'll see soon enough," was her somewhat withering response.

The redhead had not felt able to elaborate further on the content of her aunt's letter. She couldn't bear to admit to Delia that her father had effectively rejected her yet again. And, not just her, this time...also the woman that she loved, which made it so much harder to swallow. Patsy sat at the kitchen table and silently agonised about what to write; should she come clean and put her aunt in the picture, in a way that her father clearly hadn't bothered to?...or should she take the easy route and simply introduce Delia as her good friend and, in so doing, avoid the issue entirely? As far as she was aware, her aunt suspected nothing of her romantic inclination, and so her story would appear perfectly plausible.

Patsy chewed the end of her pen and sighed.

"Dear Aunt Elizabeth,

Thank you so much for your letter; it was most wonderful to hear from you.

As far as we know, the sentencing will go ahead next Tuesday and, all being well, I will leave the house the following day. We have been advised that cars will be made available to transfer us back to our chosen location and so I have asked that arrangements be made for a room to be booked for Wednesday night at the Chamberlain Hotel; I thought that this would be a good starting point, and perhaps you will be able to pick us up from there, as we will not have access to a car straight away. Delia and I can easily book an additional night or two, should that be necessary. May I suggest that you leave word at reception?

I do so look forward to seeing you.

Much love,

Patience

Patsy re-read the letter, unable to banish the scowl which crept across her face. She was so annoyed with herself, utterly ashamed of her inability to simply tell the truth, and she felt intensely guilty for what she perceived as her betrayal of Delia. Patsy knew that this letter was, in reality, a complete and total cop-out; she was well aware that, from what she had written, her aunt would merely assume that Delia was a friend and nothing more. This was clearly not going to make life easier in the long term but, for now, it was all that she could bring herself to do. Staring angrily at the paper before her, the redhead silently berated her father for his part in creating this wholly uncomfortable scenario.

The days that followed saw a shift in the atmosphere within the house. All four girls were somewhat preoccupied and, in the case of Trixie in particular, distinctly short-tempered. Packing had commenced and the abundance of clothing, piled around the bedroom, was causing more than a little disquiet.

"Barbara!" snapped Trixie, as the hapless brunette, yet again, tripped, scattering a pile of neatly folded clothes onto the floor.

"I'm sorry," blustered Barbara desperately "...I was trying to avoid treading on your shoes, there really isn't much space to walk. I mean, how many pairs do you have exactly?"

Trixie glared at her room mate, before continuing to order her vast collection of pots of nail varnish.

Across the hall, Patsy was taking great care to fold her shirts into perfect squares whilst Delia, who had adopted a far less orthodox and time consuming technique of simply stuffing her clothes in a haphazard fashion into a hold-all, looked on in disbelief.

"It's like watching Monica Geller in action! Are you sure that you have never worked for M&S?" she teased. Patsy flushed.

"We travelled a lot when I was young; we had to learn how to pack our clothes properly, or one would end up with an awful lot of ironing on arrival," she replied defensively, but a glance at Delia's twinkling eyes brought the realisation that her girlfriend was jesting, and she smiled good naturedly.

Mealtimes were when the shift in mood became most prevalent. The customary easy conversation had become more and more reflective and, at times, the four would slip into silence, each contemplating what the coming weeks would mean for them. Patsy had become increasingly aware that even Delia's flawlessly sunny demeanor had started to crack. The younger woman was clearly doing her best to try and disguise it but, for the one closest to her, her newly muted enthusiasm was impossible to ignore.

Patsy had tried to gently probe her about it, the anxiety gnawing away within as she fretted over the possibility that her girl might be having second thoughts about moving in with her. Delia had instantly attempted to reassure her, making light of her subdued mood, claiming that she was simply feeling a little under the weather. Patsy knew that there was more to it, but was powerless to dredge the truth from the stubborn Welsh woman.

When Monday evening finally arrived, the melancholy atmosphere was all consuming. Barbara arrived late to the dinner table her eyes red and swollen, whilst Patsy watched helplessly as a pale faced Delia mindlessly pushed the food around her plate, not one forkful making it to her mouth. Trixie, meanwhile, sought solace in the one remaining bottle of wine; the quality of which was so poor that she screwed up her face in disgust as she forcibly swallowed each mouthful. Earlier that afternoon, Louise had gathered them all together and tried her best to bolster their flagging spirits; even she, however, knew that only the course of time and the inevitable resolution of legal proceedings would restore their peace of mind.

After dinner, one by one, they each made their excuses and disappeared off in search of solitude. Trixie locked herself away in the bathroom, testing out the soothing properties of a long soak in a warm bubble bath. Delia slipped unnoticed into the grounds and paced the gardens, inhaling deeply, relishing the sting of the salty sea air, whilst Barbara busied herself with the entirely unnecessary task of emptying and re-folding the contents of her case. The calmest of the four, Patsy made a valiant attempt at reading a book...although if truth be told, she never got further than the first page, such was her distraction.

When 11pm eventually rolled around, they all fell gratefully into bed, thankful that the day was done and the waiting was almost over; each willing the shroud of sleep to consume them. For Barbara, the effect of having shed so many tears during the course of the day meant that she slipped quickly into an exhausted slumber. Both Trixie and Patsy lay in the darkness for some time, lost in their thoughts, before finally drifting off to sleep. Delia, however, stared miserably at the far wall, well aware that rest would not come easily to her that night.

.

.

.

The bedroom was in darkness and, for a few minutes, Patsy couldn't figure out why she had stirred. She shifted slightly in her bed and quickly realised that the warm, comforting presence to which she had become so accustomed over the recent months, was absent. Her initial thought was that Delia had popped to the bathroom and she promptly relaxed back into her pillow, waiting expectantly for the reassuring sound that would indicate that her sweet girl would soon be back beside her.

She was slipping into the contented haze of sleep once again, when her subconscious began to nag at her. There was no sound from the bathroom; Delia wasn't in there. Patsy rubbed her eyes and forced herself into a sitting position. She strained to listen, in a last ditch attempt to ensure that she wasn't going to drag herself out of bed for no reason. Silence. She reached across to touch the sheet beside her and, the realisation that it was stone cold, prompted her to swing her legs over the side of the bed and pull herself to her feet.

Patsy ventured out onto the landing, doing her best to avoid disturbing the others. She was well aware that the day ahead was going to be long and stressful and she knew that they all needed to get as much sleep as possible.

This was, without doubt, a very positive milestone to have reached, after so many months of uncertainty, but the four women were dealing with far more complex emotions. They would not and could not return to the lives that they had been leading prior to entering the house. Circumstances had changed irrevocably, in some cases on several levels. As individuals, each of them had developed too. They had discovered so much about themselves and gleaned huge insight from living in such close quarters with the others. Patsy permitted herself a small smile; six months previously, she would have laughed if anyone had suggested that she might find herself in the position that she now did. For her, at least, her time at the house had been a revelation.

Reaching the first floor landing, she could see a trace of light escaping from beneath the door to the kitchen.

"Bingo!" she thought to herself, with a nod of satisfaction.

She quietly opened the door and took in the sight before her. Delia was sat at the kitchen table, her head down on her arms, sound asleep; beside her was a cold cup of tea. Patsy smiled sadly as she crept across to her. She was reluctant to wake her yet could not help but assume that, in her current position, Delia would be desperately uncomfortable.

Fearful of startling her girl, Patsy reached out and very gently touched her hand. It was as cold as ice. Delia stirred at the contact, her face registering confusion as to her location and she promptly groaned in discomfort, her hand instinctively reaching up to try and relieve her aching neck.

"It's ok, sweetheart, it's only me," whispered Patsy softly.

Delia blinked hard, finally managing to focus on the redhead.

"I woke up and you were gone...what are you doing down here?"

Delia shrugged. "I couldn't sleep," she murmured, her teeth starting to chatter as her body registered just how chilly it was in the kitchen.

Patsy quickly knelt beside her and began rubbing her arms in an attempt to generate some warmth. Delia smiled weakly, and wearily lay her head on her girlfriend's shoulder. It was something of an unprecedented role reversal but the normally calm, self assured Welsh girl, had to concede that she was ready to allow the redhead to take care of her. For her part, Patsy revelled in the opportunity to provide much needed support.

"I'm scared, Pats," whispered Delia.

Patsy frowned into the brunette's shoulder holding her snugly and stroking her hair.

"What are you frightened of?" she coaxed

"I don't really know..." admitted Delia quietly, "I have tried not to think about the sentencing and what that could mean. I am looking forward to getting my life back, embarking on my future with you but I'm nervous of what's out there. I have never felt so uncertain before; maybe those 'bastardiaid' have affected me more than I realised.

Patsy eased her back, stroked her hair out of her face and looked her in the eyes.

"Whatever is out there, darling, we will face it together. One thing at a time, OK?"

Delia nodded slowly.

"Come on, you need to come back to bed."

She caught the look of reluctance sweep across Delia's face.

"Look, even if you don't want to sleep, you are going to cuddle up to me and get warm."

Unable to deny her thermally challenged state, Delia allowed Patsy to pull her to her feet and, with the redhead's arm firmly around her, she obediently shuffled back up the stairs.

Patsy had never seen Delia appear so small; this was nothing to do with her physical stature. At just shy of 5ft 3, she was admittedly not the tallest woman in the world, particularly when pitched against the statuesque redhead, but her self assured presence and vivacious personality always made her seem like a much greater presence than her height suggested. Tonight, however, the brunette seemed to have lost her sparkle; in its place, exhaustion and uncharacteristic fear. Patsy battled with the desire to simply scoop her up into her arms, carry her up the remaining stairs and tuck her into bed like a small child.

Once she had coaxed her as far as the bed, Patsy lifted the bedclothes and eased the shivering girl under the blankets. She quickly climbed in alongside her and, enveloping her in a warm embrace, Patsy encouraged Delia to rest her head on her chest. Despite her earlier protestations, within minutes the shivering petered out and Patsy felt her girlfriend's breathing become deeper and more regular. She smoothed her hair, feeling fiercely protective as she watched over her.

"I will never let anybody hurt you," she whispered softly.


	29. True Friendship

The bright light of sunny summer mornings had long since begun to fade as September had progressed and early Autumn had started to set in. Wednesday 15 September, however, seemed particularly dull, as the girls began to stir. "What is that noise?" murmured Patsy, forcibly opening her eyes; the clattering of rain against the window testament to the most unwelcoming of days that lay beyond. As she reached up and dragged back the curtains, she recoiled as the rain hammered relentlessly against the glass. The overcast skies and sea mist meant that she could see little of the expanse of water to which she had become so accustomed.

Groaning audibly, Patsy sank back onto the bed, glancing at the still sleeping Delia who was curled into a ball, her hands positioned across her face in an uncharacteristically defensive pose. She leant over and planted a soft kiss on the side of her head before sliding silently from the mattress and tiptoeing across the room.

"I'll get you a cup of tea," she whispered affectionately, despite the fact that the brunette was clearly still sound asleep.

In the kitchen, Patsy encountered a tired and grumpy-looking Trixie whose morning greeting of choice was little more than an irritable grunt. Opting to leave her in peace, the redhead proceeded to boil the kettle and quickly retreated back to her room, two mugs of steaming tea in her hand. Delia had still not stirred and, for a few moments, Patsy sat watching over her, noting the tension on her girl's normally passive features and wondering what troubling thoughts were plaguing her dreams.

The aroma of a fresh morning brew seemed to rouse Delia from her fretful slumber and twitching nervously she opened her eyes. Patsy's calming hand was quickly there to provide reassurance as the brunette struggled to untangle herself from her scrunched sleeping position. Her expression suggested that she had some memory of the night's events but Patsy was not going to allow her beloved girl to feel a single second of embarrassment.

"Thank you for letting me look after you last night," she whispered, gently smoothing the mahogany tresses back off the younger woman's face.

Delia looked initially astonished but her expression of shock quickly dissolved into a smile of genuine gratitude - gratitude that Patsy was sparing her blushes, gratitude that she had been there to help her when she had felt most vulnerable and gratitude, quite simply, that she loved her.

Determined not to rush her, Patsy passed Delia a mug of tea and interlinked the fingers of their free hands as they sipped their drinks in silence. This was always going to be a most testing day. There really wasn't much that any one of them could say. They knew what was to come, how the day would pan out...the waiting, the uncertainty, the anxiety and, hopefully, ultimately the news that they were so desperate to hear. But there were no guarantees, even now, and all four girls were going to have to weather the emotional storm ahead, just as much as they would have to sit out the physical storm playing out beyond the window panes.

With no appetite for breakfast that morning, they eventually found themselves gathering in the lounge and were soon joined by Jenny, who had obviously been enlisted to try and offer some degree of emotional support. Trixie rolled her eyes dramatically at the arrival of the psychologist but, on this occasion, nobody returned her sardonic glances. Patsy's attention was entirely focused on the pale, withdrawn Delia who was sat in silence alongside her, whilst Barbara appeared to have lost all control of her emotions and, in the space of 30 minutes, had already burst into tears no fewer than 4 times.

Jenny tried her utmost to engage the girls in conversation, even attempting to persuade them to play cards; anything to pass the time but her efforts were all in weather was clearly not going to offer any assistance whatsoever either; the persistent driving rain making any prospect of escaping into the grounds for some cobweb-clearing fresh air, a less than attractive prospect. The tension in the room only intensified as, at every creak of a door, every sound of voices from the floor below, all four women tensed, lest this should be a sign that the long awaited call had come through. However, 12 midday came and went, and there was still no news.

Louise popped her head around the door to gauge the mood and sighed silently as Jenny caught her eye and shook her head despondently. Barbara was still dabbing her eyes with a tissue and Trixie was picking furiously as a loose thread on her sweater, her face a vision of pure frustration. Patsy glanced around hopefully but it was obvious that Louise had no information to relay.

"Ladies, I realise that this is a very difficult time for you all, but I am going to make us all some lunch," announced Louise with as much cheer as she could muster.

This declaration was greeted with deafening silence; Trixie's glare the only acknowledgment that Louise had even spoken. Undeterred the kindly woman made her way to the kitchen and did her best to prepare a tempting platter.

As the time approached 3pm, even Jenny and Louise were beginning to fear that perhaps the sentencing would not, in fact, go ahead today, after all, and their reassurances seemed to sound increasingly hollow. By now, Barbara had practically cried herself to sleep in her arm chair and the loose thread on Trixie's sweatshirt had become a sizeable hole, although nobody dared to challenge her on it.

Finally, at nearly quarter past three, Louise's mobile phone rang. Five sets of eyes were fixed on her, scrutinising every word and facial inflection, desperately trying to glean an indication of the result. Louise's face gave nothing away as she scribbled furiously in her notebook. Only once she had ended the call, did she face the girls with the faintest hint of a smile.

Patsy and Delia held hands tightly, barely daring to breathe.

"Just tell us," begged Trixie, her face white, as poor Barbara, once again, succumbed helplessly to tears.

"Of course," nodded Louise steadily. "As expected, the judge has passed custodial sentences on all four."

Nobody spoke; they needed to know more.

"Rafi Karim - 22 years

Hamid Karim - 16 years

Greg Pennington - 12 years

Robert "Razor" Brown - 9 years"

The silence that followed was punctured only by the sound of gasps and Barbara's sobs. These were not just custodial sentences, they represented significant statements of intent by the judge who evidently wanted to send an unequivocal message to any other individuals involved in similar activities.

"So, that really is it?"

Five whispered words verbalised what each person in that room was thinking. It had been one heck of a journey but here they were, ready to make their way back out into the world and start their lives again. Louise turned to Delia and smiled kindly.

"Yes, my dear. Justice has been done."

"Why do the cars have to come so bloody early?" moaned Trixie. "I mean, is 4am really necessary?"

"For the fifth time Trix, you know why! It's not about us anymore; it is about protecting the location of the house for the next people who need to come here."

Delia's calm and rational approach simply earned her a glower.

"Have you even finished packing yet?" enquired Patsy with a wry smile.

The blonde snorted in disgust and flounced out of the room.

"I guess not," giggled Delia.

"Don't wind her up," pleaded Barbara dolefully, "I think she is just as worried about moving as we are."

Patsy shook her head.

"I know we are all feeling it, but it's going to be fine, better than fine in fact."

"But..."

"But nothing. We will all keep in touch and visit each other often...please Barbara, please don't be sad."

Barbara nodded reluctantly. She knew that Patsy was right, but that still didn't make the prospect of this transition any easier to bear.

Partly in an attempt to empty the fridge but, in reality, more in an effort to appease Trixie, Patsy opened the bottle of wine which had mysteriously appeared during the course of the day, most likely, they suspected, courtesy of Louise. Pouring four glasses, she handed them around to her friends, a small pang of sadness stinging in her chest as she realised that this was the very last time that they would do this, at least the last time that they would do this here, in this place. As they sat, each staring thoughtfully into the glass before them, it was Barbara who surprised them all by breaking the silence.

"When I arrived here, I was terrified, uncertain of where I was and who I would meet," she started shakily. "All that I wanted to do was to go back home. Now I sit here with three of the most amazing friends that any girl could ever wish for and I know that, thanks to each of you, I am no longer the same shy person that came into this house. I am really going to miss spending my days with you."

She raised her glass,

"To true friendship; may it last forever, no matter where each of us may travel. I really do love you all."

As she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, Patsy couldn't help but think back to transfer night, all those months before. Back then, she had not known when the time would come for her to move and night after night she had felt the same knot in her stomach, wondering whether she would be stirred and ushered through the darkness into a waiting vehicle. The fear and the loneliness had been all consuming and she shuddered at the memory. She glanced gratefully at the small brunette laid beside her; in the space of just a few months, Delia had changed her world beyond recognition. Patsy knew that she wasn't alone any more.

Patsy didn't remember having dozed off but she certainly did jump when, at 3:30am, the harsh, screeching bell of the alarm clock sounded.

"It's time, Deels" she whispered, giggling nervously as Delia attempted to pull the duvet up over her head and go back to sleep. "Come on darling, we don't have long."

They washed and dressed and before they knew it, the time was creeping ever closer to 4am. Patsy took a deep breath and attempted to swallow the unwelcome lump of emotion that constricted her throat as she took a final look at the now empty bedroom before taking hold of Delia's hand and leading her down the stairs.

"NO! I am NOT going until I have said goodbye!"

Immediately recognising the raised, agitated voice as belonging to Barbara, the girls ran down the last few steps and made their way quickly to the front door, where the youngest housemate flung herself unceremoniously into Patsy's arms, whilst simultaneously grasping for Delia and pulling her in.

"I am going to miss you both so much," she gasped, unable to prevent the tears from cascading down her cheeks.

Patsy glanced to her right and noticed Trixie standing alongside her. Poised and immaculately dressed though she was, the glassy sheen of unshed tears in her eyes was unmistakable.

"Trix?" she coaxed, beckoning for her to join the embrace. The blonde nodded and stepped forward, grateful to be welcomed into this circle of pure friendship and love.

"We really must get going..." came an unfamiliar voice, but the calming response was one that they recognised all too well.

"Just give them a moment," said Louise softly, a sad smile on her lips but immense pride in her eyes. The four women held tightly to each other, savouring the last few moments all together before reluctantly easing apart, Patsy clasping Delia's hand, whilst Trixie linked arms with Barbara. It never failed to amaze her, just how courageous people could be when they were up against the toughest odds and these young women were certainly no exception. She sighed sadly, unable to quash the feeling of loss as they each climbed into the waiting vehicles and, in a matter of moments, disappeared down the dark, tree lined driveway.


	30. A new chapter

The Chamberlain hotel was situated on the main street of a traditional market town. The five storey period-style exterior certainly made it an imposing feature, although the decor now appeared somewhat in need of refreshing as time had muted its former glory. Darkness prevailed as the car pulled up at the bottom of the stone steps which led up to the main entrance. Patsy and Delia looked out at the dull granite, their expressions both a mixture of wonder and anxiety. For Patsy this was a somewhat daunting reconnaissance with her past; memories of family functions that had taken place in what had been a thoroughly majestic setting flooding back. Delia, on the other hand, had no point of reference whatsoever. The emotional upheaval of leaving the house and two of her dearest friends, coupled with limited sleep had rendered her slightly at a loss.

As the pair sat in silence contemplating their current situation, the car door opened and the driver stood back smiling expectantly at them.

"Of course, I'm sorry," gabbled Patsy, dragging herself back from her memories and forcing herself to exit the vehicle. Delia followed close behind, stumbling as her weary legs made contact with the concrete beneath them.

"Good morning, Ms Mount, Ms Busby."

Delia stared open mouthed in response to the formal address from the night porter; the young man, who could not have been more than 20 years of age, was immaculately turned out in his suit and top hat. He quickly set to work loading their luggage onto a trolley.

"Do go ahead, ladies. I will bring your bags presently."

Although September was yet to roll into October, of late, the early mornings had become decidedly more chilly.

"Come on Deels," whispered Patsy, spurred into action by the shivering of her companion.

The exterior of the Chamberlain may have been a little tired; the interior, however, was nothing short of breathtaking. Having been refurbished less than two years previously, the marble floors glistened and, even with the dim nighttime lobby lighting, the combination of stainless steel and crystal glass cast sparkling shadows across the freshly white washed walls.

Delia shuffled uncomfortably, feeling decidedly scruffy and out of place. She glanced at Patsy, who appeared to be far more at ease and self consciously took a subtle step behind the taller woman.

The hotel staff had been expecting them, having been advised of their slightly antisocial arrival time in advance. The night manager greeted them warmly and, much to Delia's shock, rather than simply handing over their room key, led the way to the elevators. As the lift doors opened, both Patsy and Delia cringed as they caught sight of their dishevelled appearance and exhausted faces in the unforgivingly crystal clear mirror. Patsy maintained her poise and politely engaged in small talk with the night manager, confirming that yes, it was indeed unseasonably cold out and that they were both most grateful to have arrived at last.

Delia's gaze was fixed on her feet; her whole body was crying out for two things - a warm bed and a hot cup of tea. The desire to achieve such was just about the only thing that was making her place one foot in front of the other right now.

"Here we are," announced their besuited guide, after what had felt like a never ending trek along a delightfully ornate yet uncomfortably silent hallway.

Expecting the manager to bid them goodnight, Delia almost laughed in disbelief as he entered the suite and proceeded to point out each of the ridiculously obvious features within the room. Patsy graciously thanked him, passing him a tip and, somehow, had the presence of mind to ensure that the "Do not Disturb" sign was firmly in place.

"I know we are tired, but honestly, does he think we are a bit simple or something?" demanded Delia, sounding rather affronted. "I have never felt that I needed a tutorial in how to work a bathroom light before!"

Patsy chuckled.

"No darling, he has to do that...it's part of 'the service.'"

They found themselves in a beautiful, fresh smelling room, complete with mini bar, interactive television, whirlpool bath and a large window with a view across the town. Both sets of eyes, however, fell directly on the centrally positioned king size bed. For once, neither of them had anything but sleep on their mind and communicating via nothing more than a nod, they both set about locating their pyjamas and within minutes, crawled gratefully under the crisp white duvet.

"We made it," murmured Delia.

"Yes," whispered Patsy, reaching for her hand. If she intended to say any more, Delia would never know as within seconds, both of them had drifted off into an exhausted slumber.

As Delia began to wake, she lay, her eyes still closed, straining to catch the reassuring sound of the distant waves crashing onto the rocks at the foot of the cliffs and the cries of the seabirds as they swooped and squabbled in the sky above the cove. Confusion clouded her sleepy mind as her ears detected the distinctive buzz of car engines and, unless she was very much mistaken,...was that a bus? She reached our with her left hand, anxious to confirm Patsy's presence alongside her. Yes, she was there but that was just about all that seemed familiar. Frowning, she forced her eyes open and her gaze flitted around the room, attempting to make sense of her new surroundings. She blinked hard, struggling to make out the time on the bedside clock. 11:04.

Turning her head to the side, her eyes fell on what, to her, was without doubt the most beautiful sight in the world. Her Patsy. With her vibrant red hair contrasting starkly against the pristine white pillow across which it was draped, her face a picture of complete relaxation with her lips ever so slightly parted, and her long fair eye lashes flickering like fairy wings as she breathed in and out, Delia thought her a vision that could not be surpassed. She smiled indulgently, revelling in the knowledge that, for the very first time ever, she had her girlfriend completely and totally to herself.

She didn't want to wake her; no, she would let her sleep. The redhead looked so incredibly peaceful, it would be a crime to disturb her. Delia carefully shuffled across the bed, just wanting to snuggle a little closer, to glean a smidgen of warmth and to breathe in Patsy's familiar, comforting scent. Delia's hands were drawn to the fabric of her girlfriend's pyjama top, tracing the hem and relishing the feel of the soft material as she teezed it through her fingers. Patsy slept on.

Perhaps she could touch just a tiny bit of skin...surely that wouldn't wake her. Patsy's smooth creamy skin was so very inviting and just incredibly touchable. Delia's resolve was ebbing rapidly and before she could reason with herself not to, her fingers slid beneath the top, commencing a featherlight exploration of the perfect flesh beneath. She groaned silently to herself, as her hands ventured higher and her finger tips brushed the curve of Patsy's breast.

"Too late", she conceded to herself, her restraint deserting her completely as desire began to take hold.

Cupping Patsy's breast, she allowed her thumb to sweep across her nipple. Patsy whimpered sleepily and Delia smiled as the soft nipples quickly hardened at her touch. As the brunette repeated the action, she watched Patsy intently but the redhead showed no further sign of stirring. Her eyes remained firmly closed, her body motionless. Delia began to grin, as her teasing fingers continued to fondle and caress. Still Patsy didn't respond.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you cariad?" whispered Delia. Patsy started to smile guiltily.

"How did you know that I was awake?"

"Well, my darling, you forgot to breathe...in my experience, sleeping people don't hold their breath!"

Patsy giggled, rolling on to her side and wrapping her arms around her girlfriend.

"Busted" she admitted.

"Finally...just us.." sighed the brunette interlocking their fingers. Patsy nodded slowly, her gaze fixed on Delia's eyes, watching closely as they darkened with longing; she was in no doubt as to what that look meant. "You are so incredibly beautiful," purred Delia, her hands venturing forth again. This time, Patsy did not hold back and arching her back, she eagerly welcomed the caressing fingers.

Delia wasted no time in climbing on top of her girl and leaning forwards she sought Patsy's soft, cherubic lips. The weeks of uncertainty and anxiety seemed to flood out of them both at that moment, and what began as a tentative, loving kiss rapidly became an outlet for pent up desperation and uncontrolled desire. They clung desperately to each other, hands grappling to access the soft skin beneath the thin cotton barriers.

"I want you," gasped Patsy, pressing her girlfriend down onto the bed whilst plunging her hands brazenly beneath the waistband of Delia's pyjama trousers and releasing a lustful moan as her hands encompassed the delightful curves of her buttocks. Delia's squeak of pleasure was muted as she pulled Patsy flush against her.

"Make love to me Patsy," she pleaded hoarsely.

Patsy did not need to be asked twice; before she knew it Delia found her trousers half way down her legs, Patsy then took her foot and flicked them over her ankles and away before she turned her attention to her girlfriend's top half.

"So gorgeous," breathed Patsy reverently peeling away the brunette's pyjama top and taking in the glorious sight of a completely naked Delia before her.

Observing her in all her glory was never going to be enough for either of them and, as Delia's body trembled with longing, Patsy began her exploration, carving out a slow, sensual pathway down the length of the brunette's torso, her fingers and tongue sending pulses of pleasure through her girlfriend with their every touch. Pausing momentarily, she sat back and eased her own pyjama top off. Delia gasped in surprise and delight...was this really her timid, self-conscious Patsy? Where on earth had this new-found boldness come from? Her hands ventured forwards in appreciation of the redhead's newly freed breasts, smiling indulgently as she felt their weight in her hands. She watched in silent approval as Patsy, a look of determination on her face, whipped away her trousers. She glanced down at Delia, the tiniest hint of insecurity at her own nakedness, quickly fading as she turned her attention back to the object of her desire.

She gently took hold of Delia's hands and lifted them to her lips, kissing her knuckles softly then gently lay them at her sides.

"So, I have been thinking for quite some time...," she whispered leaning forwards to plant a loving kiss on Delia's abdomen and sending a ripple of pleasure through the brunette as her breasts brushed lightly against her pelvis.

"What?" breathed Delia, completely entranced by Patsy and her unexpected confidence.

"That it's time I tried something new..."

She bent forwards and kissed her on her inner thigh. Delia gulped audibly.

"And since you decided to wake me up in the manner in which you did...well, maybe it's time to repay the favour?"

Patsy's voice did not betray the apprehension that she felt within, as she contemplated venturing into uncharted territory; she looked back up at Delia's and took in her expression of total adoration and lust and it spurred her on. She dipped her head again and kissed her millimetres from the point where Delia longed to feel Patsy's mouth.

"Patsy!"

Delia's strangled plea was the final piece of encouragement that Patsy needed. She placed a hand on each of Delia's knees and parted her trembling legs.

Seeing Delia in this position for the very first time made Patsy's heart soar with love for her. Never had she seen the brunette so vulnerable and yet utterly trusting; completely open, glistening with desire and wanting her and only her. Nervous as she was, Patsy knew that this was the time to demonstrate her complete commitment to Delia, in the most candid manner she could. She sucked in a calming breath before leaning forwards and capturing Delia's wetness with her willing mouth.

Months of waiting, dreaming and longing for the ultimate connection exploded within the small Welsh woman as Patsy explored deeper and deeper revelling in the feel of Delia against her mouth and savouring the taste of her sweetness on her tongue. Overcome with the emotion of the moment, the brunette cried out as tears of pure pleasure escaped her and trickled gently down her cheeks. This was so much more intense than she had dared to imagine, the sensations pulsing throughout her whole being as she struggled to hold her hips down on the bed.

"Dwi'n caru ti" she panted, "Ohhhh Patsy, Cariad...yes, my darling."

Patsy was intrigued by the experience and utterly elated by the reaction that she was eliciting. Her confidence was growing rapidly; she was exhilarated by the way that every swirl of her tongue, each gentle suck and loving kiss, unravelled Delia just a little bit more. Patsy adjusted her position slightly and, recalling Delia's pleas from their previous encounter, eased two fingers inside. She watched as the ecstasy flooded Delia's face, and smiled as her love released a deep moan. The calm, controlled brunette was rapidly losing all semblance of self and Patsy delighted in the knowledge that she, alone, was about to push her into a new stratosphere of pleasure.

As she approached her climax, Delia became ever more incoherent, pleading with Patsy in a jumbled mixture of Welsh and English not to stop, begging her to carry her onwards until her words faded and the sensations took over. Patsy sensed that Delia could not hold out much longer; she intensified the rhythm of her tongue whilst easily sliding her fingers ever deeper, her finger tips stroking her girl's hidden treasure, heightening her pleasure further still, the redhead's eyes widening as she felt her tighten around her fingers. Delia gasped loudly, snatching a breath in before screaming in pleasure as her orgasm took control, her knuckles white as her hands grasped the sheet beneath her. Patsy was in awe as she felt the convulsions jolting through Delia's body, her expression one of total adoration as she witnessed the unreserved bliss that she alone had orchestrated. For the very first time, she felt a complete and unique connection to another person; she understood the beauty of that unity and the absolute purity of their love for each other.

"Sweetheart..." Delia spoke, breaking the silence as they lay blissfully intertwined.

"Mmmmm?" murmured Patsy

"I'm starving!" admitted Delia

Patsy laughed, "Well it is lunchtime and I don't know about you, but I can't actually remember when I last ate.. shall we order room service?"

Delia looked dolefully at her.

"I thought we could go out..." she said quietly, unable to mask her disappointment.

Patsy lifted her head..."Goodness, yes, we CAN go out. I hadn't even thought. Come on then; let's get moving."

Twenty minutes later both were dressed and an air of excitement passed between them as they pulled on their coats and tried to fathom where on earth they had put the room key when they had arrived 6 hours previously. Finally locating it, on the floor, right next to where they had unceremoniously dumped their bags, they looked at each other and giggled nervously as they made their way out of the door, venturing out into the real world for the first time in months; and more importantly, stepping out as a couple. Delia looked in awe at Patsy who confidently led the way down the corridor. As they stepped into the lift, the redhead felt her girlfriend seek her hand. She glanced down, offering a mischievous smile and a reassuring squeeze of the hand.

The noise and business of daily life hit them like a tidal wave as they stepped out of the hotel's main entrance onto the main street. After so many weeks tucked away in the Safe House, the frenetic activity and all-consuming bustle came as something of a culture shock. Gripping each other's hands tightly, they both took a breath before proceeding down the road, in search of a suitable dining establishment.

Set back from the road slightly, the traditionally styled purple checkered table cloths and cosy ambience of the quaintly named "The Ivy Grove Tearooms" enticed them inside. As they stepped through the door into the warm, welcoming cafe, their senses were struck by the delicious smell of freshly baked bread and sweet pastries; whilst the melodic tones of Israel Kamakowio'ole's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" completed the homely, calming atmosphere.

"Good afternoon, ladies! Do come in out of the cold; welcome to The Ivy Grove."

A small, pretty brunette with sparkling eyes and a ready smile greeted them enthusiastically, her natural friendliness instantly setting them at ease. Both Patsy and Delia instinctively returned her smile before glancing around, taking in the somewhat haphazard arrangement of tables and noting a small piano positioned in the corner.

"Feel free to take a seat wherever you'd like," she breezed. "I'll be with you in just a moment."

Delia didn't hesitate, making a beeline for a vacant table for two, tucked in beside the window. She grinned triumphantly at Patsy, who was still entranced by the glass fronted cabinet within which lay a delectable assortment of freshly baked offerings.

"We make all the cakes ourselves," explained the vivacious young woman, "...well, I should rephrase that actually. I am a dab hand in the kitchen...my partner, not so much; thankfully she is blessed in other areas. Last time she tried to bake a cake...well let's just say, it was a good test of the smoke detector." She rolled her eyes and chuckled to herself as she wandered around the counter, tutting good naturedly as she lifted plates, cups and napkins, clearly having misplaced something.

Patsy joined Delia at the table, smiling happily as she picked up the menu.

"I love this place" she whispered, "I don't know why; it just feels right. Look; they even have live music here on Thursday nights...we should definitely try that some time."

They ordered pots of tea, a basket full of croissants and fresh pastries, their eyes widening with delight as their hostess laid the mouthwatering offerings out before them.

"Enjoy! And don't hesitate to call if you would like anything else"

They tucked in hungrily, Delia watching in amusement as the petite owner continued her fruitless search for whatever she had lost.

"Hun, have I left my order book out back?" she called to an unseen individual.

"No Cariad, I haven't seen it!"

Delia's mouth dropped open in surprise, at the sound of the familiar welsh term of endearment.

"You mean to tell me you're not the only Welsh woman here?" teased Patsy in mock outrage.

Delia smiled, her eyes still fixed on the far side of the tearoom, curious to see her fellow country woman but nobody else came into view.

Thirty minutes later, hardly a morsel of food remained. Swigging down the last few drops of her tea, Delia sat back with a contented sigh.

"So, when is your aunt coming to pick us up?" she enquired, realising that she had very little insight into the itinerary for the coming days.

"Not until tomorrow morning," replied Patsy somewhat wistfully. "...well, that was delicious; I suppose we had better settle up."

Delia glanced towards the counter where the small brunette was chewing on the end of her pen, frowning at the document before her. She was clearly concentrating and Delia was loathed to interrupt her. As she hesitated, a second figure appeared from the back; a slightly older, slim woman with dark hair that framed her face perfectly. The newcomer had a shy demeanour in contrast to her smaller counterpart but her kind smile lit up her features as she approached her colleague and squeezed her shoulder affectionately, speaking quietly in her ear. Delia didn't hear the words but she understood the sentiment well enough as the smaller woman's face broke into a mischievous grin and she muttered something undetectable in response that caused the other to blush.

Delia failed to realise that she was actually staring at the pair and was caught off guard when the older woman addressed her.

"Can I help you at all?"

Delia quickly righted herself, embarrassed at her own reaction to the two women.

"Sorry, I just wondered if we might have our bill, please,"she stammered.

Once out of the tearooms, Delia instantly filled Patsy in. The redhead, having been oblivious to the goings on as she had been sat with her back to the counter looked doubtful.

"Are you sure you weren't imagining it?" she questioned, as they walked hand in hand back towards the hotel. Delia looked at her in exasperation...

"Quite sure, they were completely smitten with each other. They looked at each other in the same way that we look at one another."

"OK, ok, calm down...maybe you're right." Patsy conceded with a chuckle as they took the stairs up to the hotel entrance.

Thanking the doorman, they ambled contentedly through the lobby before Patsy stopped abruptly. Before her, a kindly-faced, silver-haired woman. She looked at Patsy, then at Delia before her gaze wandered downwards, settling on the pair's interlinked hands.

"Hello Patience!"


	31. Chapter 31

Patsy stood frozen in shock, her eyes wide, her mouth hanging open.

"Pats?" prompted Delia, in a vain attempt to bring her back to reality.

"Well, aren't you going to say hello to me, Patience?"

Aunt Elizabeth's look of shock had dissolved far more quickly than that of her niece; as the realisation of the situation before her dawned, a warm and genuine smile crossed her face.

Patsy was still grappling to formulate any kind of greeting; Delia's hand felt like a rod of scorching steel in hers but she firmly resisted the temptation to shake it off, knowing full well that it was far too late for that.

The kindly older woman could not bear to observe the look of fear on her niece's face any longer and quickly came to her rescue.

"Patsy..." she said gently, deliberately opting for the less formal childhood name, "I am not sure that I have ever seen you look quite so happy, my dear."

Patsy closed her mouth and swallowed hard, trying to slow her frantically beating heart. She understood from this one simple statement that, not only did her aunt comprehend the bond between her and Delia, but also that she was quite plainly making her acceptance known.

Aunt Elizabeth opened her arms and pulled her niece into a tight embrace.

"I have missed you so very much, my dear."

Finally recovering herself sufficiently to speak, Patsy gestured at the utterly confused brunette beside her.

"Aunt Elizabeth, this is Delia," she stammered.

"An absolute pleasure!" effused the twinkly eyed woman whose blonde hair was streaked with flashes of silver. She grasped Delia's hand tightly, her warm smile conveying the genuine delight that she felt at meeting her.

"Well, I was only dropping by to leave you a note, but since you are here, how about we all have a nice cup of tea together? I can fill you in on the house and arrangements for tomorrow."

Aunt Elizabeth led the way towards the hotel lounge, leaving Patsy on the receiving end of Delia's quizzical demands.

"Pats...she didn't know about me, did she?" the brunette hissed in disbelief.

Patsy shrugged,

"I think she does now..." she offered, with an awkward giggle.

Delia was not amused and shook her head reproachfully as they crossed the foyer.

"I cannot believe that you didn't tell her!"

"Earl grey? Or are you still languishing on the dark side, Patience?" called Elizabeth. Patsy grinned good naturedly.

"Sorry to disappoint but my allegiance remains firmly with the coffee bean! Delia will join you, however. She is an ardent tea drinker"

Delia was rewarded with a further look of approval.

"Well perhaps you can guide my niece back to the finer things in life?" she suggested with a cheeky wink.

Delia flushed scarlet, uncertain as to whether this charismatic sixty year old had actually intended the innuendo.

They settled comfortably in the hotel lounge; Aunt Elizabeth making a beeline for the large, cushion covered arm chair, leaving Patsy and Delia to share the sofa on the opposite side of the low solid oak table. Within minutes two things became patently clear. The first was that Aunt Elizabeth was entirely unconcerned about the relationship between the two young women before her; in fact, it appeared that she had finally pieced together something that she had subconsciously known for quite some time and was actually relieved to have resolved the mystery that had been plaguing her mind. The second was that Delia and Aunt Elizabeth were rapidly becoming quite the double act. Patsy wasn't sure whether she should be amused or horrified as the pair quickly slipped into an easy and natural banter.

Half an hour later, the china sat empty and plans were in place for Aunt Elizabeth to pick them up the following morning. Delia hugged her new friend warmly, before the elder woman embraced her niece.

"She is an absolute delight," she whispered into the redhead's ear. Patsy blushed, torn between embarrassment and overwhelming joy. At 28 years of age, she was finally experiencing acceptance. She swallowed hard to banish the lump in her throat, almost giddy with relief.

"I'll wait for you downstairs at 11, then, see you tomorrow." continued Elizabeth.

Patsy and Delia stood side by side, smiling, as she waved cheerfully and disappeared out of the lounge. Delia felt Patsy's shaky exhalation of pent up anxiety and turned to her.

"OK, Cariad?"

Patsy nodded.

"Good, because you have some explaining to do! Take a seat!"

Patsy looked horrified at Delia's stern expression and firm tone; she fell back into her chair.

"It didn't occur to you to tell her then? Are you ashamed of me?" she asked, her voice was steady but the sense of hurt was impossible to ignore.

"What? NO! Of course not." Patsy was mortified. "I... I did try, I told my father, I thought that he would tell her...I know I should have told her myself but...I'm sorry". She looked completely bereft. "Please forgive me..." she begged.

Seeing the genuine remorse on the redhead's face, the brunette's expression softened; Patsy had come so far over the past few months that Delia sometimes forgot just how emotionally fragile and insecure she was.

"It's alright Pats," she conceded, "I know that you don't find it easy. I just thought that after all these months...well, anyway, it doesn't matter; what is important is that your aunt is absolutely lovely, and she clearly adores you,.."

"...adores you, apparently.." muttered Patsy ever so slightly sulkily.

Delia grinned. "Well obviously! But the point is; she doesn't love you any less for who you love. You do see that now, don't you?"

Patsy nodded slowly.

"I think that I have just spent so long not telling anybody about the things that really matter; sharing my dreams and opening up about the people that are most important to me. I guess that it will take me some time to learn otherwise."

Aunt Elizabeth owned one of those classic style cars; the sort that, in its day, would have been the envy of all, but now, quite frankly, resembled a relic. Delia and Patsy exchanged a look of scepticism as they contemplated clambering in, wondering how likely it was that this particular vehicle would get them to their desired destination. Their pointed glances were not lost on the redhead's quirky aunt, who smiled to herself.

"I always say; if it isn't broken then don't fix it!" she announced proudly, patting the dashboard. "And let's be honest, they don't make them like they used to."

The two younger women flushed with embarrassment at having been sussed and, climbing into the back, Delia made a feeble attempt at rescuing the situation by quickly changing the subject.

"So how far is it to the house?" she enquired tentatively.

Aunt Elizabeth raised her eyebrows at her niece, who was now occupying the seat beside her; had she really not told this poor girl anything about her soon-to-be home?

"Only about 15 minutes, my dear."

It seemed that Aunt Elizabeth was one of those women who could single handedly maintain a conversation; in this instance, it was extremely fortuitous. Delia was mesmerised by the view outside of the car window, drinking in her surroundings, fascinated by the period-style cottages and, latterly, the rolling fields, which would become her neighbourhood. Patsy, meanwhile, sat lost in thought, a distant, slightly haunted look in her blue eyes. Much time had elapsed since the redhead had last ventured into this neighbourhood, let alone set foot in her former home. So much had changed in the intervening years; it was inevitable that she was going to have mixed feelings about returning.

The ornate gates at the bottom of the drive were open, allowing Aunt Elizabeth to swing the car easily through the entrance. Patsy paled at the familiar sights - the rickety old post box, the large willow tree with its drooping branches, more overgrown than ever, falling across the driveway and the stone post with the house name etched into it, now somewhat faded, but nevertheless still readable. R-I-D-G-E-S. Aunt Elizabeth glanced at her niece and, reaching across, she squeezed her leg.

"It's definitely time that the old place had some life back in it," she mused, addressing nobody in particular.

An audible gasp came from the backseat of the car as they pulled up in front of an old manor house. Delia's mouth had fallen open as they had turned into the imposing entrance and her disbelief was only heightened as the car stopped in front of the large house.

"Pats?" she stammered.

Patsy didn't answer her, the emotions bubbling within rendering her mute.

Once again, Aunt Elizabeth came to the rescue.

"Come on then ladies, let's get inside. I put the heating on, so hopefully it will have taken the chill off the place."

Delia nodded dumbly, and clambered out of the car, unable to tear her eyes away from the vast building before her.

"Patsy?" she repeated, "this is your house?"

Patsy nodded, an inexplicably apologetic expression crossing her face.

Delia finally seemed to come to her senses and reached for her girlfriend's hand,

"Come on then, you need to show me our new home."

Crossing the threshold, Patsy had never been more grateful for Delia's hand. Aunt Elizabeth hung back, allowing the girls a private moment together. The entrance hall was large with a high ceiling, the stairway curving from left to right, an elaborate chandelier hung in the centre. Dated though the decor was, having been left largely unchanged since the family's abrupt departure almost 20 years previously, there was an undeniable elegance about the place. Delia's eyes scanned the room, a look of wonder on her face; her gaze settled on a large oil portrait hanging at the bottom of the stairs. The painting depicted a man, a woman and two young girls. The Welsh woman instantly recognised the young redheaded girl, as Patsy. At maybe 8 or 9 years of age, she was smiling brightly, her arm around the smaller girl, evidently her sister, Constance. It was a picture of perfect happiness, created in the months before the most devastating tragedy which had ripped apart this beautiful family unit.

Delia squeezed Patsy's hand and pulled her forwards, realising that she was going to need to take the lead. She instinctively headed to the door at the far end of the hall, beyond which lay a vast, country kitchen, the centre piece of which was a rustic farmhouse style table. To the right was a pantry, empty, of course and over on the left an agar. Delia dragged Patsy towards the window.

"Wow!" she exhaled, taking in the view. The garden extended way into the distance; beyond it were rolling hills. This was breathtaking countryside at its best.

"What's that?" asked Delia, nudging Patsy and pointing to a glass roofed outhouse, set on the right.

"Pool," whispered Patsy, unaware of just how tightly her fingers were gripping those of her companion.

As awestruck as she was, Delia could see that Patsy was struggling with the onslaught of memories and gently but firmly pulled her into her arms.

"I'm here," she told her reassuringly.

Aunt Elizabeth sensed that this may be her cue to leave them. They had a lot of unpacking to do and she had no desire to intrude on their privacy.

"So I took the liberty of putting a few essentials in your fridge," she told them casually. "Margaret Cummins had made yet another batch of lasagnes and I just didn't have the space in my freezer so I thought you could help me out. Honestly, the woman doesn't know when to stop."

Patsy smiled; Aunt Elizabeth had such an endearing manner; she always managed to dress up her acts of generosity in such a way that the recipient felt that they were doing her a great favour. She crossed to the fridge and opened the door. Within lay 2 silver trays, marked lasagne, a home made apple pie, milk, butter, orange juice and several bottles of wine. Patsy turned to face her Aunt.

"Thank you!" she said sincerely.

Elizabeth smiled and took her leave, calling over her shoulder.

"Oh, there is also some bread in the bread bin."

Finally alone in their new home, Patsy took Delia on a guided tour. Having grown up in a modest 3 bedroomed house in West Wales, Delia was convinced that she would never be able to find her way around this rabbit warren of a residence. Every room seemed to lead through to another and yet another beyond.

The majority of the rooms were just as they had been in the days of Patsy's childhood; the bedrooms that had formerly belonged to her and her sister were still furnished in soft colours. Whilst little Connie's room was predominantly pink, with now faded pictures of ponies and fairies, Patsy, by contrast, even as a child, had her own particular style, her walls adorned with waterfalls, dolphins and the depiction of what, even now, was an unmistakably vibrant sunrise. On the ceiling, Delia noted the presence of stars and easily imagined the little Patsy lying in her bed, gazing up at the glowing constellation, dreaming of the wider world beyond the walls of her home.

They continued into the master bedroom and Delia instantly sensed Patsy's discomfort, as memories of her parents, of years past when she and Connie would race excitedly into their parents' room, clutching their stockings overflowing with presents on joyous Christmas mornings, of the four of them snuggled together in the king sized bed during nighttime thunderstorms and of lazy Sunday mornings when they would simply relish the peace and opportunity to enjoy being a family, flooded into her mind.

"I think we should take the guest suite," said Patsy quietly, heading back out. "I want to decorate". Delia nodded; she understood that if her girlfriend was going to settle in her former home again, then she needed to put her own stamp on it. Whilst she would never encourage Patsy to erase the memories of her past, she agreed that cosmetic changes would be cathartic.

"Let's do that then sweetheart; we can make it ours."


	32. Chapter 32

The first month or so became nothing short of a paint fest. From sunrise to sunset, the pair worked tirelessly, and superficially, at least, one by one the rooms began to adopt a fresh new look, slowly but surely transforming from the family residence of yesteryear to the future home for the couple, a home that they would fill with love, laughter and new memories. Each night they fell exhausted into bed; Delia could see Patsy's determination and her lightening mood, as the days went on. They made several trips into town, ordering new curtains, new cushions and even treated themselves to a luxurious set of bedding...not that Delia would allow them to put it on the bed on account of their permanently paint encrusted status.

Delia's greatest frustration, however, remained that the pool needed servicing before it could be used. She was desperate to get in and swim but the filters were in urgent need of replacement and, after so many years not having been used, the heating system needed a thorough MOT.

"Deels, it isn't the priority right now...but if it will stop you nagging, then I will arrange for an engineer to call next week," Patsy insisted; "then you can swim every day if you want to."

Delia pulled a face and Patsy laughed, noting the streak of white gloss in her hair.

"I think we need a break from painting. It's a lovely evening, let's go out for a walk."

Exiting the back of the property through a tall wooden gate, they found themselves on a slightly overgrown public footpath which wound its way across the fields. For early October, it was relatively mild and they strolled hand in hand up the rocky pathway which took them around a small wooded area.

"Did you play here as a child?" asked Delia tentatively. Patsy nodded, a wistful expression on her face as she remembered days past when she and her younger sister had roamed these fields, spending hours making up games, climbing trees and laughing together. Such carefree days that were now filed away deep in her mind, the memories too painful to revisit.

As they skirted the trees, ascending the hill, they turned and glanced back at the house, glinting in the evening sunlight.

"It's beautiful here Pats, I love it" whispered Delia. "Thank you so much"

Patsy initially looked a little taken aback but when she looked into Delia's face, she saw more than the woman she adored. She saw happiness, she saw hope and she saw her future, bright and full of love.

Proceeding over the top of the hill, they followed the path around and Delia stopped abruptly.

"What's that noise? It sounds like water..."

Patsy nodded, "There's a waterfall not far from here. We used to swim in the pool when we were kids".

Delia's eyes lit up and she urged Patsy forwards.

"Come on then!"

The sound of flowing water got progressively louder as Patsy led Delia through a gap in the trees and they emerged on the banks of a crystal clear pool surrounded by smooth grey rocks. The autumnal sunlight sparkled in the splashes of water which bounced up from the cascading waterfall on the far left hand side.

"Wow!" exhaled Delia, "this might just be the most breathtaking place I have ever seen."

Patsy smiled.

"It was the one place that I could find some solitude in the early days after my mother and Connie died. Before my father shipped me off to boarding school, there was no end of well meaning visitors. I couldn't bear it; so I would slip out the back and make my way here."

Delia looked around at the unspoiled, secluded surroundings.

"I can see why this would be ideal," she acknowledged."Does anybody else ever come here?"

Patsy shook her head.

"Never seen another soul here. I always felt as though it was my pool."

A wicked grin crept across Delia's face as she contemplated their predicament.

"How cold do you think it is?...The water?"

Patsy shrugged dismissively, not really listening.

"Shall we find out?" goaded Delia.

Patsy instantly came to, throwing the brunette a derisive look.

"No!" she responded, rolling her eyes.

"Oh come on Pats," purred Delia, running her finger seductively over the back of the redhead's hand. "You said it yourself, nobody ever comes here..."

Patsy's eyes widened at the implied suggestion.

"Don't you think it might be fun to do something a little bit daring?" whispered Delia, looking straight into Patsy's eyes as she reached for the zip of her hoody and began drawing it downwards.

"Delia!" exclaimed Patsy in horror.

The small Welsh woman giggled mischievously as she slid off her hoody and dropped it onto the rock at her feet.

"Yes?" she questioned with feigned innocence, before tugging her t shirt over her head, as Patsy looked around in panic, certain that somebody would pop out from behind the trees at any given second.

"Thing is..."continued Delia with a sly smile, kicking off her shoes, "you made me a promise, and I think it is high time you came good on that promise."

Patsy frowned. "Promise? What promise?" she asked sceptically.

Delia unbuttoned her jeans and wiggled her hips as she shuffled them down and stepped out of them. She stepped closer to Patsy.

"On the beach...you promised me that you would come swimming with me."

Patsy's face flushed.

"See, you DO remember!"

"Delia, will you please put your clothes back on!" stammered Patsy with more than a trace of urgency in her voice.

Delia shook her head, grinning wickedly as she tugged at the zip on her girlfriend's hoody.

"Are you out of your mind?" gasped Patsy.

"Pats..."

"I am not doing this!" stated Patsy plainly.

"Oh I think you are, cariad," murmured Delia, her hands making short work of the redhead's waistband, "there's nobody watching, nobody but us". Patsy seemed to lose the thread of her objections as she slipped under the beautiful Welsh woman's spell.

"Come on," coaxed Delia, pulling away Patsy's t shirt.

Patsy opened her mouth to protest but no sound came out; the final dregs of her resolve fading by the second.

"You have no idea how long I have been dreaming of this moment," Delia soothed, pulling Patsy closer and running her hands up and over her girlfriend's shoulders. Her fingers traced down the redhead's shoulder blades until they met her bra strap.

"Mmmmmm" hummed Delia into Patsy's neck, smiling as she felt the strap slacken under her hands.

Patsy gasped in a mixture of shock and arousal at finding herself all but naked on the bank of the pool. Delia still appeared to be in no rush, however, and reaching up she sought the redhead's lips, kissing her passionately as her hands glided downwards, smoothly sliding under the elastic of her girlfriend's knickers, easing them down over her hips and down beyond her knees.

"Let's get in," grinned Delia, whipping away her own bra and knickers and taking Patsy's hand as she stepped into the pool and carefully guided the redhead in behind her. They both squealed and gasped as the chilly water came into contact with their naked skin. Patsy was about to make a hasty retreat back onto the shore, but Delia caught her arm and tugged her further into the centre of the pool.

"Stop worrying..." chided Delia gently, her hand cupping Patsy's cheek and turning her back to face her.

"Aren't you cold?" stuttered Patsy, in a desperate bid to persuade Delia that this was a truly bad idea.

"Yes, actually, I am," replied Delia thoughtfully, "you'd better warm me up..."

"That wasn't what I..." started Patsy, but she never completed her sentence. Delia wrapped her arms around her neck and wound her legs around her waist as she honed in for a kiss.

"Race you to the waterfall," cried Delia, quickly disentangling herself and swimming strongly across the pool. Patsy paused momentarily admiring the sleek strength displayed by the brunette as she streaked through the clear water. However, the realisation that she was now stood alone, stark naked in the centre of the pool struck her and, feeling slightly panicked, she rapidly followed suit.

A matter of metres from the falls, they realised that they were once again able to stand on the bottom of the pool, albeit their platform constituted smooth, slippery rocks which made balancing something of a challenge. Delia watched fondly as Patsy stood, her eyes closed and allowed the cascading water to spray onto her face and chest. She took a precarious step across and positioned herself behind Patsy. The noise of the crashing water made any exchange of words futile, but despite the lack of warning, Patsy welcomed Delia's arms which slid around her waist and melted back into her embrace.

Wordlessly, Delia began indulgently exploring her girlfriend's slippery wet skin, cupping her breasts and teasing her nipples. Patsy gasped and leant back further, allowing Delia easy access to begin kissing her neck and collar bone. The brunette's hands soon slid lower, caressing her way south until they rested on Patsy's hips. She edged around to the side of the redhead and clamped her legs around Patsy's left thigh. Patsy moaned at the intimate contact, the moan becoming increasingly high pitched as Delia's fingers deftly traversed her hip and began massaging her pleasure.

Capitalising on the buoyancy offered by the water, Delia sought Patsy's lips whilst continuing to work her magic with her fingers. Patsy instinctively spread her legs wider, relishing the heightened sensations from being in the water and, in so doing, rocked her thigh against Delia's clitoris. The small Welsh woman groaned and smiled into the kiss as her right hand caressed Patsy's buttocks, before gliding between her legs.

"Do you want me to?" she whispered.

Patsy nodded urgently, "...yes...yes. Please Delia!...Ooooooohhhhh!"

Mindful that Patsy had never before been penetrated, Delia proceeded gently, alert to any sign that she was causing her beloved undue pain. It was evident, however, that Patsy's squeals and moans were merely representative of her overwhelming enjoyment of this wonderful new sensation.

"Don't stop..." pleaded Patsy breathlessly, fumbling to reach for her lover's sweet spot "please don't stop darling."

Delia could not believe the look of unreserved ecstasy on her girlfriend's face and willingly continued, whilst nibbling on the redhead's shoulder and collarbone, her own breaths coming fast and shallow as Patsy stroked and teased her.

"Oohhh mmyyy..."

Patsy's exclamation petered out, replaced by a low guttural moan of contentment as she climaxed; Patsy's intensely audible arousal pushed Delia to her own orgasm, her head flopping down onto the redhead's shoulder.

For several minutes they clung together, kissing passionately.

"That was sooo good," panted Patsy, stroking Delia's cheek.

Delia smiled.

"I'm guessing you never had sex in water before, Cariad?"

Patsy shook her head coyly.

Once they had exited the pool, they both suddenly began to feel the cold and, dressing quickly, they hurried hand in hand back through the trees and along the footpath.

"Maybe we should stick to the swimming pool from now on," shivered Patsy, tossing her damp hair back off her face.

Delia raised her eyebrows.

"And miss the sexiest sight I have ever seen in my life?...My love, naked under a waterfall? I don't think so sweetheart."

Their damp clothes combined with the chill of even this mildest of October evenings saw them picking up the pace as they hurried back towards the house. Dashing through the back gate and crossing the garden, they ran into the house and, with some unavoidable dripping, mounted the stairs where they quickly changed, gratefully pulling on their pyjamas.

"I'll go downstairs and put the kettle on, whilst you finish up," offered Delia.

Patsy smiled and nodded.

"Won't be long."

Minutes later, Delia carried a tray of steaming mugs - one tea, one coffee - and a plateful of chocolate biscuits into the living room where Patsy was already settled on the sofa, comfortably wrapped in a thick lilac fleece blanket. She set the tray down on the coffee table as Patsy sighed contentedly and lifted the blanket for Delia to cwtch in beside her.

"Thank you, darling," she murmured, pulling her close.

For the very first time since moving into "Ridges", the young women enjoyed a blissful, paintbrush-free evening, relaxing in front of the TV.

"Ohhh, this is one of my favourite films," enthused Delia as she halted her jaunt through the endless TV channels of their freshly installed cable network.

"What is it?" enquired Patsy..."is that Sandra Bullock...with BLONDE hair?"

Delia giggled at her look of disgust.

"Sorry babe, I'm the only brunette in this house!" she winked. "Have you really never seen "The Blind Side"? It's an incredible film."

Patsy shrugged.

"Guess there is no time like the present!"

Blonde haired Hollywood starlet or not, Patsy was soon entranced by the movie. Delia watched her out of the corner of her eye, snuggling closer as the emotional highs and lows of the central character played out. The redhead's eyes became misty as the film reached its heartwarming conclusion.

"I love this...being here, with you, in our own place. I finally feel as though I am home."

Delia sprung back to her feet.

"Wait there, I have something for you..."

She dashed from the room, returning moments later with a sizeable, flat package; she handed it to Patsy.

"I bought this last week, it arrived this morning."

Inside the package was a large slate heart-shaped plaque, on which was inscribed the word "Cartref".

"It's Welsh," explained Delia in answer to Patsy's quizzical look.

"What does it mean?" asked Patsy quietly.

Delia leant over and planted a kiss on Patsy's lips and smiled. "Home."


End file.
